Cablegate: Disengagement Situation Report, August 25, 2005

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 005258

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KWBG KPAL PREL ECON EAID PINS IS GAZA DISENGAGEMENT
SUBJECT: DISENGAGEMENT SITUATION REPORT, AUGUST 25, 2005

REF: TEL AVIV 5253

This is a joint message from Embassy Tel Aviv and Consulate
General Jerusalem.

This message is sensitive but unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.

This message conveys information as of 1600 hours local time.

1. (SBU) Summary: Israeli disengagement is proceeding, with
demolition of remaining settlements underway. Israeli focus
has now turned to the situation of evacuees in Israel, and on
political maneuvering post-disengagement. A gun battle that
ensued during an Israeli operation near Tulkarm overnight
resulted in the deaths of five Palestinians, prompting strong
Palestinian reactions, including a threat of revenge from
Palestinian Islamic Jihad. End Summary.

2. (SBU) DISENGAGEMENT STATUS

-- The situation in Gaza is generally calm and quiet. All
settlements there have been evacuated. Demolition work has
continued without incident.

-- About 100 evacuees from the Gaza settlement of Netzer
Hazani plan to maintain the protest tent that they have set
up close to the central train station in Tel Aviv. The
evacuees said they would agree to leave only after receiving
a government promise for a communal housing solution.

-- The government is considering acceding to a request by 40
evacuee families from the Gush Katif settlement of Atzmona to
establish a large temporary community in the Netivot area,
where the "Ir Ha'emuna" ("City of Faith") tent city now
stands.

-- Removal of toxic materials in Sa Nur and Homesh was
scheduled to begin on August 24, to be followed by the
demolition of residences, according to UN reports.

-- Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip have accused Israel
of burying "toxic materials" under the rubble of dismantled
settlements, according to press reports (reftel). GOI
Ministry of Environment contact told econoff that the MOE can
not and will not respond to such accusations in the media. A
GOI official said that if the Palestinians were serious about
such accusations, they would file an official complaint with
details to back up the charges. The contact added that MOE
personnel have inspected demolition sites in Gaza "once or
twice" in the past week. Although not every small violation
(e.g., a bottle of ammonia left on a kitchen counter) might
have been noticed, there have been no reports of large items,
such as barrels of toxic materials, being found.

-- UNRWA reported that the IDF started demolishing
greenhouses in the Netsa Khazani settlement. Such action
would be contrary to GOI commitments to the Quartet Special
Envoy's (QSE) team that the IDF would not destroy any
greenhouses and -- if verified -- could result in a reduction
in the compensation payment. The Israeli assessor hired by
the private donors who purchased the Gush Khatif greenhouses
will return to Gaza on August 28 to start a four-day
assessment.

3. (SBU) SECURITY SITUATION

Jerusalem:

-- Death/Injury: An assailant stabbed to death a British
yeshiva student in the Old City; a second British student was
seriously wounded. Initial media reports that the second
victim was American were erroneous.

West Bank:

-- Deaths: Israeli security forces killed five Palestinians
during what the IDF characterized as an attempted arrest
operation in the Tulkarm refugee camp at 2335 hours on August
24. According to Palestinian sources, the IDF killed two PIJ
militants and one al-Aqsa Brigades militant (who had recently
been incorporated into the security services). A third PIJ
activist reportedly sought by the IDF evaded capture. During
ensuing clashes, two teenaged boys were also killed. The
Palestinian source reported that the Palestinians fired no
shots at the IDF. Israeli officials said the suspects opened
fire rather than face arrest.

-- Shootings: The IDF reported two shooting incidents
overnight, one near Kadim village and the other east of an
IDF outpost near Jenin.

Gaza Strip:
-- Rockets: Two rockets were fired at Israel between 1215
and 1230 from the Beit Hanoun district of the Gaza Strip on
August 25, according to UNRWA. One Qassam rocket reportedly
landed near the Negev town of Sderot. There were no
casualties.
-- Shootings: The IDF reported two shooting incidents
overnight, one at an IDF outpost near Kfar Darom and the
other near Khan Younis.

4. (SBU) PALESTINIAN REACTIONS

-- PA Prime Minister Ahmed Quraya' condemned the August 24
Israeli action in Tulkarm in a media interview, calling it a
brutal crime that is a clear proof that Israel is not
interested in maintaining the truce. President Abbas
similarly criticized the action. Palestinian Islamic Jihad
spokesman Khalid al-Batsh vowed revenge for the killings in
statements provided to the Cairo-based Middle East News
Agency (MENA).

5. (SBU) GOI POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS

-- Zvulun Orlev, from the National Religious Party, asked
Attorney General Mazuz to order the release of all Israelis
arrested in the course of disengagement. Earlier on August
25 Rabbi Ovadia Yosef asked President Katsav to pardon army
dissidents and those arrested in the course of disengagement.

6. (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS/HUMANITARIAN ACCESS

-- In general, most of the additional restrictions on
movement imposed at the start of the disengagement remain in
effect. However, the IDF continues to demonstrate
flexibility, particularly for humanitarian cases.

-- Gaza Coastal Road: The Coastal road is now open with free
movement of traffic in both directions, according to
Palestinian sources.

-- Rafah Terminal: Rafah remains open for passenger movement
in and out of Gaza, although coordination is still required
for Palestinian males aged 16 to 35 years.

-- Erez crossing and industrial zone: According to Gaza
private sector contacts, Erez remains officially closed to
Palestinians, but the IDF continues to allow a small number
of people to pass with prior coordination based on
humanitarian/medical grounds. On August 25, 150 Palestinian
workers were allowed to enter Israel. Factory workers were
also permitted into the Erez industrial zone, according to
Palestinian sources.

-- Abu Kholi junction: The junction remains closed during
daylight hours until further notice. The IDF re-opened the
crossing at 2255 hours on August 24 and closed it at 0500
hours on August 25.

-- Karni Terminal: Karni remains open on August 25.

-- Kissufim, the main crossing used to enter Gush Katif and
Kfar Darom settlements, remains open only to traffic/persons
leaving Gaza.

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