VZCZCXRO6512
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1476/01 2211233
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 081233Z AUG 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2472
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY
"C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001476
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/06/2018
TAGS: KWBG PBTS PREL PHUM IS
SUBJECT: YESHA COUNCIL LEADER DAYAN: ""TWO STATE SOLUTION
IS DEAD""
REF: A. JERUSALEM 1343
B. JERUSALEM 1260
C. TEL AVIV 220
Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Yesha Council Chairman Dani Dayan
confirmed recent settlement approvals by Israeli MOD Barak
and showed Poloff areas under construction on July 24.
Dayan, who is secular but leads an exceedingly religious
constituency, addressed the challenges he sees for the
settlement movement and evolutions in Yesha's leadership
structure. He recognized the problem of settler violence,
but said he ""cannot control them (the extremists)."" Dayan
urged the U.S. to admit the ""the two state solution is dead""
and said ""the status quo should be the goal for now."" END
SUMMARY.
New Construction at Maale Shomron; Praise for
Recent MOD Hebron and Maskiyyot Approvals
---------------------------------------------
2. (C) Poloff met July 24 with Yesha Council Chairman Dani
Dayan in the northern West Bank settlement of Maale Shomron.
He observed ten houses under construction at the settlement
and one caravan under construction in the neighboring outpost
of Elmatan (pre-March 2001). Poloff also observed a new road
connecting Maale Shomron to the Neve Aliza section of the
neighboring Karnei Shomron settlement, which is exclusively
inhabited by AmCits and where 15 luxury homes are being
constructed. ""We're able to build here and there,"" Dayan
said.
3. (C) Dayan welcomed the recent MOD approvals of twenty
permanent houses at the northern Jordan Valley settlement of
Maskiyyot and of a new building for Hebron's Beit Romano
yeshiva (REFS A-B). ""Within a few weeks,"" he said, there
will be ""a discussion"" with the MOD on Migron outpost, the
largest of the post-March 2001 outposts (REF C).
Changes in Yesha Council
------------------------
4. (C) Dayan said the quality of the mid-level leadership
of the settler movement has declined, referring to the four
regional council chairmen from Hebron Area, Gush Etzion,
Binyamin, and Samaria that report directly to him in the
Yesha power structure. (Note: Dayan became the Chairman of
the Yesha Council in 2005 after the Gaza evacuation. End
Note.) ""Avi Roeh is no Pinchas Wallerstein"", he said,
referring to the changing of the guard in Binyamin (Ramallah
area); Gershon Mesika, the newly elected Samaria (northern
West Bank) chairman, is a ""simple man with no leadership
skills.""
5. (C) Dayan acknowledged the recent increase in violence
against Palestinian by extremist settlers, but said, ""I can't
control them (extremists)."" He said he has discussed the
issue with the INP, but that ""there are provocations"" by
Palestinians.
""Two State Solution is Dead""
----------------------------
6. (C) Dayan said ""the Gaza experience killed the two-state
solution...It's a shame they've taken the land and used it as
a launching pad against Israel rather than building a state.""
He added, ""Syria, Egypt, and Jordan can all accommodate a
Palestinian state on this land but the Palestinians
cannot...They'll continue to advocate for all of this land.""
Dayan said he believes the goal for now is ""the status quo,""
rather than a negotiated solution. ""The creation of a
Palestinian state now will mean the end of Israel,"" he said.
Dayan said he wants improved human rights and economic
conditions for Palestinians, ""including what you (the U.S.)
advocate on roadblocks and checkpoints."" About a potential
settler compensation bill in the Knesset, Dayan said, ""I'm an
economist, and I know that some people will take it if the
price is right""
Bio Note
--------
7. (C) Dayan and his wife moved from Tel Aviv to a West
Bank caravan in 1988. Dayan is not religious, drives on the
Sabbath, and does not keep kosher. He is motivated by
ideology. Dayan had a successful career in
telecommunications before assuming his Yesha leadership role
in 2005. He has a teenage daughter, and his wife is the
JERUSALEM 00001476 002 OF 002
marketing director for Ariel settlement's ""University Center.""
WALLES
"