US embassy cable - 04TELAVIV1389

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 001389 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
Dept for CA/OCS/ACS/NESA; CA/OCS/CI; NEA/IPA; 
DS/IP/NEA; DS/ICI/CR; DS/ICI/PF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC, CASC, KFRD, IS, ISRAELI SOCIETY 
SUBJECT: New Mayor of Dimona Eager to Assist Embassy's 
Investigation of Hebrew Israelite Community 
 
Ref: A)Tel Aviv 000935; B)03 Tel Aviv 6216; C)03 Tel 
Aviv 6217 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: ACS Chief, ARSO, Conspec and RSO 
investigator met with newly-elected Mayor of Dimona, 
Meir Cohen on March 2, 2004 to discuss the Embassy's 
ongoing investigation into criminal activity by the 
Hebrew Israelite Community (HIC). Also present at the 
meeting was ex-Deputy Mayor, Albert Assaf, who also 
served under Mayor Cohen's predecessor and is well 
known to post. The new Mayor, especially, was shocked 
by Emboffs' account of the results of the Embassy's 
ongoing investigation of the HIC and appeared eager to 
cooperate.  End summary. 
 
2. (SBU) The meeting began with few formalities, as the 
Mayor, an independent elected with Labor support, 
immediately guessed at the purpose of the meeting and 
launched into an overview of the relationship between 
the City of Dimona and the Hebrew Israelite Community 
(HIC) from his perspective.  He added that after being 
elected, he had visited the Community and advised them 
that he wanted to be open to their needs. He told us 
that he was aware the HIC had supported his opponent in 
the electoral campaign, but he had wanted to offer an 
olive branch to the Community by approaching them.  He 
said that he knew that there had been problems in the 
community, but that he had a duty to ensure that all 
people living in Dimona had some guarantee of at least 
the basic human necessities, including food and 
shelter.  As part of this effort, he mentioned that a 
plot of land had been allocated to the HIC but the 
project was on hold pending financial support. The 
banks, he said, are refusing to grant mortgages to the 
HIC despite the assurances of HIC leader Ben Ammi 
Carter, who advised the Mayor several weeks ago that 
USAID had approved a 4 million dollar grant to them. 
(Note: Embassy is not aware of any such grant.)  The 
Mayor also said that he had spoken with the Prime 
Minister urging him to give the HIC the same status as 
enjoyed by the Ethiopians. 
 
3. (SBU) After an introduction by the ACS Chief 
regarding the U.S. government's concern over the safety 
and welfare of American citizens within the HIC, ARSO 
presented a summary of the major allegations of 
wrongdoing that members and leaders of the HIC are 
accused of committing, including reported child abuse, 
fraud, drug trafficking and even murder (see reftels). 
The mayor seemed genuinely shocked by what ARSO 
presented, and reacted for a moment as if the chair 
legs had been kicked out from under him.  He said that 
he had no idea of how serious the level of criminal 
activity really was.  He added that, as a result of the 
presentation, he would put his program of outreach on 
hold.  He promised to assist in any way possible. 
 
4.  (SBU) Early in his presentation the Mayor had 
mentioned that 37 HIC students were scheduled to be 
enlisted into the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) in August 
2004, and that all expressed enthusiasm for serving in 
the army and wanted to serve in a front line fighting 
unit. As a result of the revelations described above, 
the Mayor suggested that the Embassy should consider 
discussing its investigation with the IDF, pointing out 
that the introduction of automatic weapons to the HIC 
community might not be a positive development. 
 
5. (SBU) ARSO also briefed the Mayor on the recent 
visit to the Dimona garbage dump described in reftel A 
and showed him the photographs of fresh mounds in 
several areas of the site. The Mayor said he would look 
into the possibility of obtaining a court order to 
disinter the remains, which he said was logistically 
possible (Note: RSO and Consular requested to be 
present during the disinterment and subsequent autoposy 
of remains.  The Mayor agreed and advised that he would 
notify post accordingly.) He expressed concern at the 
thought of the HIC still burying their dead in that 
dump.  The Mayor noted Deputy Finance Minister 
Shitrit's statement earlier this week that there were 
two factions in Israel who were not reporting deaths 
while continuing to claim national insurance benefits. 
The Finance Ministry estimates that the National 
Insurance is currently paying 15 million shekels ($3.3 
million USD), in effect to deceased recipients. 
 
6. (SBU) The Mayor informed us that the HIC owe the 
municipality half a million shekels ($2.2 million USD) 
for unpaid water and municipal taxes.  He said that he 
had spoken to HIC leader Carter, and the HIC are now 
paying off their debt in bi-monthly payments of 25,000 
Israeli shekels ($5,700 USD), which community leaders 
always pay in cash.  In addition, the Israeli Welfare 
Ministry sends the City of Dimona 17,000 ($3,900 USD) 
Israeli shekels each month to purchase vegetables for 
the HIC.  It is the Mayor's understanding that one of 
the sources of this money is USAID.  Finally, a Trust 
Fund for the School still exists, run by an Israeli 
Attorney (ex-Ministry of Education officer with whom 
Post worked closely while dealing with the HIC in the 
early 90's).  Two HIC members also preside on that 
Committee. 
 
7. (SBU) Albert Assaf, the ex-Deputy Mayor who has long 
worked with the Embassy on issues regarding the HIC, 
was not as shocked about these revelations.  While he 
expressed some surprise about the allegations of drug 
trafficking, he indicated that his greatest surprise 
was that U.S. authorities had waited so many years to 
do anything about it.  He said that he had heard of 
most of the allegations raised, even the most severe 
child abuse cases, involving the amputation of fingers 
and thumbs, but only anecdotally, without names and 
dates. 
 
8.  (SBU)  Comment.  The meeting was extremely 
productive and encouraging, in dramatic contrast to 
others with GOI officials on this issue.  The Mayor 
appeared genuinely interested and eager to assist the 
Embassy with its investigation.  Whether or not he will 
follow through and whether he is actually able to 
mobilize resources is another question.  Mayors do not 
oversee police forces in Israel, and it is among the 
Israeli police where the main resistance to an active 
investigation has been encountered.  End Comment. 
 
KURTZER