NETANYAHU OFFICIALLY REJECTS U.S. POSITION ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 001176 SENSITIVE SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR SHAPIRO/KUMAR. JOINT STAFF FOR LTGEN SELVA. E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2019 TAGS: PREL KWBG IS SUBJECT: NETANYAHU OFFICIALLY REJECTS U.S. POSITION ON SETTLEMENT FREEZE Classified By: ECON David R. Burnett, Reason 1.4 (b) (d) ¶1. (U) On June 1, Israeli press reported that PM Netanyahu officially rejected the USG position against Israeli expansion of West Bank settlements, including construction to facilitate "natural growth." Speaking to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Netanyahu reportedly declared that USG demands for a complete freeze on settlement construction are unreasonable and vowed "not to freeze life in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank)." However, he said that Israel would not build any new settlements and reiterated the GOI's commitment to evacuating illegal West Bank outposts. ¶2. (C) Netanyahu's statements came on the heels of another small outpost evacuation in the northern West Bank. Israeli press reported earlier on June 1 that the IDF destroyed two caravans at the Nahalat Yosef outpost, and relocated another to the settlement of Elon More (approximately 1.8 miles away). Oded Herrman, from the MOD's Political-Military Bureau confirmed the evacuation, but told Econoff that the MOD had yet to draw up an official plan for evacuating outposts or preventing resettlement. ¶3. (C) Comment: We expect that Defense Minister Barak will attempt to continue dialogue on this issue during his upcoming (2-5 June) US visit. A source close to Barak told EconCouns on June 1 that Barak may refine the discussion to include a list of settlements where growth could be contained and a list of those (e.g., large blocs such as Ma'ale Adumim and Beitar) where stopping ongoing construction activity would lead to lawsuits by contractors. ********************************************* ******************** Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv ********************************************* ******************** CUNNINGHAM