US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV2762

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 002762 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KWBG, IS, SETTLEMENTS, GAZA DISENGAGEMENT 
SUBJECT: NOF HASHARON SETTLEMENT MAY GET BUYERS: 
DISENGAGEMENT EVACUEES 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
Consulate General Jerusalem cleared this cable. 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  Dror Ginatt, Secretary General of the 
Israeli community of Nirit, told econoff that the town 
chairman of the settlement of Homesh recently visited him to 
inquire about moving Homesh's settlers to Nirit after 
disengagement.  Ginatt informed him that there are no 
vacancies in Nirit, and suggested that the settlers look at 
the new settlement of Nof HaSharon on the other side of the 
Green Line in the West Bank. Ginatt also told econoff that 
since the High Court decided to allow the development of Nof 
HaSharon, Nirit's residents are now negotiating with the 
developers to limit Nof HaSharon's size to 50 housing units 
in exchange for use of Nirit's infrastructure.  Arieh Han, a 
resident of Nirit, told econoff that Nirit's residents voted 
in favor of negotiations in a very close vote, rather than 
trying to appeal the High Court's decision, because the 
residents "want to minimize the damage," but he thought it 
was "naive" to think that Nof HaSharon would not grow beyond 
50 units because there are powerful, ideological interests 
behind the new settlement.  End summary. 
 
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Homesh Settlers to be Nirit's Neighbors? 
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2.  (C) Dror Ginatt, Secretary General of Nirit, the Israeli 
community that abuts the Green Line, told economic officer on 
May 3 that the town chairman of Homesh recently visited him 
to discuss moving Homesh's residents to Nirit.  (Note: Homesh 
is one of the northern West Bank settlements slated for 
evacuation under the disengagement plan.  End note.)  Ginatt 
said he responded that there are no vacancies in Nirit, but 
Homesh's residents could possibly move to Nof HaSharon 
instead, the new settlement being developed adjacent to Nirit 
but on the east side of the Green Line in the West Bank. 
Ginatt explained that although Nirit and Nof HaSharon "are in 
negotiations and still an open case," Nirit's residents will 
not try to "manipulate" who buys land in Nof HaSharon.  Press 
reports from the Jerusalem Post indicate that Homesh is 
currently negotiating with the government to move its 
residents to Nof HaSharon. 
 
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Nirit Allows Infrastructure 
Connection For No More Growth 
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3.  (C) Ginatt noted that the ongoing negotiations between 
Nirit and Nof HaSharon relate to Nof HaSharon not being able 
to expand beyond 50 housing units.  Since the High Court 
almost two months ago decided to allow the development of the 
new settlement, Nirit's residents agreed that Nof HaSharon 
could use their infrastructure services if the development 
does not expand beyond 50 housing units, according to Ginatt. 
 Nirit's residents do not have the money for an appeal 
against the High Court's decision, and do not expect to win, 
so they have "decided to accept it if there is no more 
development in Nof HaSharon" beyond the 50 units.  Ginatt 
said the negotiations with the developers on zoning changes 
are going well.  He commented that the developers have 
accepted the concept of no more than 50 units because they 
want to "finish and get out of the picture." 
 
4.  (C) Arieh Han, a resident of Nirit, told econoff that 
Nirit's residents decided to enter into negotiations with the 
developers in a very close vote of 159-148.  He pointed out 
that almost 50 percent of Nirit's residents who voted still 
do not want Nof HaSharon to grow next to their community, 
even though the vote passed, because they perceive it 
violates GOI commitments to the U.S., and because they do not 
believe the settlement will stop at 50 units.  Han added that 
many of Nirit's residents did not vote at all because they 
are tired and do not believe anything can be done to stop the 
development of the new settlement.  Han continued that those 
who voted for negotiations with Nof HaSharon's developers did 
so because they "want to minimize the damage but it's naive" 
because Nof HaSharon will grow beyond 50 houses regardless of 
any agreement.  He said there are ideological interests 
behind the establishment of the settlement that will not be 
stopped. 
 
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