Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09JERUSALEM44
2009-01-06 14:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:
SUCCESSFUL EVACUATION OF AMCITS, FAMILIES FROM GAZA
how-toVZCZCXRO0521 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHJM #0044 0061423 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 061423Z JAN 09 FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3710 RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000044
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA
DEPT ALSO FOR CA/OCS/ACS/NESCA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC CASC CVIS KWBG PHUM KPAL IS
SUBJECT: SUCCESSFUL EVACUATION OF AMCITS, FAMILIES FROM GAZA
REF: 08 JERUSALEM 2297
UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000044
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA
DEPT ALSO FOR CA/OCS/ACS/NESCA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC CASC CVIS KWBG PHUM KPAL IS
SUBJECT: SUCCESSFUL EVACUATION OF AMCITS, FAMILIES FROM GAZA
REF: 08 JERUSALEM 2297
1. (U) SUMMARY. On January 2, ConGen Jerusalem successfully evacuated
27 AMCITs and AMCIT family members from Gaza. The evacuees transited
through Jordan en route to their final destinations. Post continues to
receive calls from additional AMCITs in Gaza seeking assistance in
leaving. END SUMMARY.
EVACUATION A SUCCESS
====================
2. (SBU) ConGen Jerusalem, with assistance from Embassy Tel Aviv and
Embassy Amman, organized the evacuation of 27 AMCITs and AMCIT family
members from Gaza on January 2. Of the 34 people who signed up for
evacuation, seven decided at the last minute not to leave.
3. (SBU) Of the 27 people who were evacuated, two held only US
citizenship, 14 were dual Palestinian-Americans, two were possible dual
Palestinian-Americans without documentation, three had pending
immigration applications, and six were family members holding only
Palestinian citizenship. Although the Government of Israel (GOI)
initially was unwilling to permit the evacuation of non-US passport
holders, in the end, all the names on the list were approved. The
Government of Jordan, on an exceptional basis, agreed to permit all
evacuees entry, even in cases where they possessed expired or invalid
travel documents.
4. (SBU) When Consular staff arrived at the Erez crossing between
Israel and Gaza, they were ushered immediately into a hardened shelter
because of incoming missiles (which eventually landed in and around
Ashkelon, north of Erez in Israel). Because the GOI Foreign Ministry
had announced the night before that the GOI was permitting the exit
from Gaza of foreign passport holders, several dozen journalists were
present covering the departures. Over 300 people were attempting to
cross, including 180 Russian nationals and citizens from Norway,
Turkey, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Denmark.
5. (SBU) Despite the chaotic situation at Erez, CONOFFs were able to
clear the evacuees by 1130 local time and board them on the bus for
transit to the Allenby Bridge crossing to Jordan. GOI officials at the
crossing were helpful in processing the evacuees, and minimal problems
arose. The US evacuees were among the first to leave Erez, and crossed
the border into Jordan at approximately 1600 local time.
LACK OF VALID DOCUMENTS AN ISSUE
================================
6. (SBU) Many of the evacuees lacked valid documentation. Eight of the
16 AMCITs held expired US passports, and many of the Palestinians had
only expired Palestinian passports, or none at all. Despite this, all
were permitted exit from Gaza and entry into Jordan. En route from Gaza
to Jordan, ConGen personnel assisted those needing US passports in
completing the forms. Once evacuees arrived in Jordan, Embassy Amman
staff assisted them in applying for emergency passports for onward
travel. The two undocumented possible Palestinian-Americans, both
minors, were subsequently confirmed to be AMCITs and issued consular
reports of birth abroad by ConGen Jerusalem, in cooperation with
Embassy Amman.
COMPLICATED CASES
=================
7. (SBU) While some of the evacuee cases were clear-cut, others were
complicated because one or both parents were not AMCITs, or only some
of the children were. In a particularly difficult case, the legal
permanent resident father of six children died of cancer in a Gaza
hospital on December 27. The mother holds only Palestinian
citizenship, but four of the six children are AMCITs. Since the
fatherQs naturalization was pending and he had apparently filed no
petitions for his non-citizen family members, the mother is not
eligible for U.S. immigration. The oldest child in the family told
CONOFF that their uncle, the fatherQs brother, was killed in a missile
strike on December 27 while trying to find an open pharmacy to buy
medicine for the father. The mother and six children were successfully
evacuated on January 2 and are currently in Jordan, where Embassy Amman
is working to identify options for the family.
8. (U) Post continues to collect names of AMCITs seeking to leave Gaza,
should there be another opportunity for an evacuation.
Walles
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA
DEPT ALSO FOR CA/OCS/ACS/NESCA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC CASC CVIS KWBG PHUM KPAL IS
SUBJECT: SUCCESSFUL EVACUATION OF AMCITS, FAMILIES FROM GAZA
REF: 08 JERUSALEM 2297
1. (U) SUMMARY. On January 2, ConGen Jerusalem successfully evacuated
27 AMCITs and AMCIT family members from Gaza. The evacuees transited
through Jordan en route to their final destinations. Post continues to
receive calls from additional AMCITs in Gaza seeking assistance in
leaving. END SUMMARY.
EVACUATION A SUCCESS
====================
2. (SBU) ConGen Jerusalem, with assistance from Embassy Tel Aviv and
Embassy Amman, organized the evacuation of 27 AMCITs and AMCIT family
members from Gaza on January 2. Of the 34 people who signed up for
evacuation, seven decided at the last minute not to leave.
3. (SBU) Of the 27 people who were evacuated, two held only US
citizenship, 14 were dual Palestinian-Americans, two were possible dual
Palestinian-Americans without documentation, three had pending
immigration applications, and six were family members holding only
Palestinian citizenship. Although the Government of Israel (GOI)
initially was unwilling to permit the evacuation of non-US passport
holders, in the end, all the names on the list were approved. The
Government of Jordan, on an exceptional basis, agreed to permit all
evacuees entry, even in cases where they possessed expired or invalid
travel documents.
4. (SBU) When Consular staff arrived at the Erez crossing between
Israel and Gaza, they were ushered immediately into a hardened shelter
because of incoming missiles (which eventually landed in and around
Ashkelon, north of Erez in Israel). Because the GOI Foreign Ministry
had announced the night before that the GOI was permitting the exit
from Gaza of foreign passport holders, several dozen journalists were
present covering the departures. Over 300 people were attempting to
cross, including 180 Russian nationals and citizens from Norway,
Turkey, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Denmark.
5. (SBU) Despite the chaotic situation at Erez, CONOFFs were able to
clear the evacuees by 1130 local time and board them on the bus for
transit to the Allenby Bridge crossing to Jordan. GOI officials at the
crossing were helpful in processing the evacuees, and minimal problems
arose. The US evacuees were among the first to leave Erez, and crossed
the border into Jordan at approximately 1600 local time.
LACK OF VALID DOCUMENTS AN ISSUE
================================
6. (SBU) Many of the evacuees lacked valid documentation. Eight of the
16 AMCITs held expired US passports, and many of the Palestinians had
only expired Palestinian passports, or none at all. Despite this, all
were permitted exit from Gaza and entry into Jordan. En route from Gaza
to Jordan, ConGen personnel assisted those needing US passports in
completing the forms. Once evacuees arrived in Jordan, Embassy Amman
staff assisted them in applying for emergency passports for onward
travel. The two undocumented possible Palestinian-Americans, both
minors, were subsequently confirmed to be AMCITs and issued consular
reports of birth abroad by ConGen Jerusalem, in cooperation with
Embassy Amman.
COMPLICATED CASES
=================
7. (SBU) While some of the evacuee cases were clear-cut, others were
complicated because one or both parents were not AMCITs, or only some
of the children were. In a particularly difficult case, the legal
permanent resident father of six children died of cancer in a Gaza
hospital on December 27. The mother holds only Palestinian
citizenship, but four of the six children are AMCITs. Since the
fatherQs naturalization was pending and he had apparently filed no
petitions for his non-citizen family members, the mother is not
eligible for U.S. immigration. The oldest child in the family told
CONOFF that their uncle, the fatherQs brother, was killed in a missile
strike on December 27 while trying to find an open pharmacy to buy
medicine for the father. The mother and six children were successfully
evacuated on January 2 and are currently in Jordan, where Embassy Amman
is working to identify options for the family.
8. (U) Post continues to collect names of AMCITs seeking to leave Gaza,
should there be another opportunity for an evacuation.
Walles