MORATORIUM UPDATE: EASINGS ANNOUNCED, RUMORS

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 000050

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR SHAPIRO/KUMAR. JOINT STAFF
FOR LTGEN SELVA, JERUSALEM PASS AMB. HALE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2020
TAGS: PREL KWBG IS
SUBJECT: MORATORIUM UPDATE: EASINGS ANNOUNCED, RUMORS
ABOUND

Classified By: A/DCM Marc Sievers for reasons 1.4 b/d


1. (C) Summary: On January 7, the MOD announced that
amendments have been made to the GOI's moratorium order,
which will, inter alia, return some permitting and building
authority to local settler leaders. However, the announcement
made it clear that new approvals will remain frozen and
construction of new housing units will still be prohibited.
In response to press reports, an Embassy MOD contact has
emphatically denied that enforcement entities are already
prepared to demolish structures in violation of the
moratorium. End Summary.


2. (C) On the evening of January 7, the MOD issued a revision
to the settlements construction moratorium order, which
returns some planning authorizations to local municipal
leaders. The changes will allow local authorities to grant
permits for modifications of existing buildings, construction
of public infrastructure inside the limits of settlements,
and advance plans that are currently in the building permit
process. The order expressly states, however, that new
housing units will not be allowed and that the final approval
process for construction plans will remain frozen, as per the
original moratorium order. During the past month, Israeli
press had been reporting that the announcement of such
easings was imminent. In discussing this possibility weeks
ago, Oded Herman, of the MOD's Political-Military Bureau,
told EconOff that all approvals would still require MOD
Barak's and PM Netanyahu's signatures; thus, he reasoned that
returning permit responsibilities to the municipalities would
have little practical impact. He suggested that pushing more
permits through the system while approvals were frozen would
likely only create a bottleneck whenever the moratorium ends.
In the past week, press and anti-settlement NGOs had also
predicted that the expected easings would allow settlers who
have already sunk costs into the development process to begin
construction, pending the approval of the exceptions
committee. Just hours prior to release of the moratorium
revisions, Herman denied that such an easing was even under
discussion, reiterating that any future amendments would not
violate the original intention of the moratorium.

--------------
GOI Ready to Demolish Structures?
--------------


3. (C) On January 4, Israeli press reported that the GOI, as
early as this week, would begin demolishing structures
built in violation of its moratorium order. Israeli
newspaper, Ma'ariv, quoted an unnamed source in the security
establishment as saying that units that will participate in
these demolitions have already been briefed on their targets
and are ready to execute said orders. Oded Herman told
EconOff on January 7 that these reports are categorically
"incorrect," adding that the moratorium enforcement apparatus
is not even close to being ready to undertake such actions.
(Note: As of January 8, no such demolitions had been
reported. End note.)

--------------
Inspections Continue, New Inspectors Training
--------------

4. (U) Last week, settler media, Arutz Sheva, reported that
Israel's Minister of Public Security, Yitzchak Aharonovich
informed settler leaders that as of 28 December, Civil
Administration inspectors had visited settlements on 411
occasions, handed out 174 stop-work orders, and confiscated
22 heavy construction vehicles. He also told them that
roughly 100 orders were being reconsidered by the Exceptions
Committee, with cancellation of the orders a possibility.
(Note. In the early days of the moratorium, the IDF provided
daily sitreps updating the public on the moratorium's
progress, but reports have since ceased.) On 7 January, Oded
Herman told EconOff that the 40 new Civil Administration
inspectors hired in early December 2009, were currently in
training, with many of them accompanying current inspectors
into the field to learn the job first hand.

CUNNINGHAM