US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV3561

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 003561 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2015 
TAGS: EAID, PGOV, PREL, KWBG, IS, SETTLEMENTS, MILITARY RELATIONS, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS 
SUBJECT: MOD DG AMOS YARON ON PASSAGES, THE BARRIER, AND 
SALES TO VENEZUELA 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  The Ambassador met with Ministry of Defense 
(MOD) Director General Amos Yaron recently to discuss the 
status of the seamline barrier around major settlement blocs. 
 Yaron said that the idea of building a wall in Hebron has 
been turned down by the Attorney General.  Yaron noted that 
the MOD will be in charge of all technical work related to 
the passage s, and that their proper functioning depends in 
part on the security situation.  He asked for clearer USG 
guidance on the modalities of mortar sales to Venezuela and 
said Israel would do its "best to abide" by the guidance. 
End summary. 
 
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Seamline Barrier 
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2.  (C) Ministry of Defense (MOD) Director General Amos Yaron 
told the Ambassador that the decision on the location of the 
seamline barrier around the major settlement blocs is in 
various stages.  He noted that the Ma'ale Adumim and Gush 
Etzion barrier decisions are with the Ministry of Justice 
(MOJ), and the Ariel barrier decision is with the High Court. 
 Yaron mentioned there are problems between the MOD and the 
MOJ regarding the route of the barrier around Jerusalem. 
 
3.  (C) Yaron said the barrier in the Eshkolot area may not 
keep its current route east of the quarries.  He commented 
that the GOI will find local solutions and may split the 
quarries if they are close to the barrier by running the 
barrier through the quarry instead of around it. 
 
4.  (C) Yaron continued that the idea of building a wall in 
Hebron has been turned down by the Attorney General.  He 
explained that Central Commander Yair Naveh came up with the 
concept of building the wall because he is "angry that the 
settlers keep attacking the soldiers." 
 
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Crossings 
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5.  (C) The Ambassador informed Yaron that Brigadier General 
(res) Baruch Spiegel, MOD advisor, had expressed concern 
about the water, sewage, and sanitation problems in Wadi 
Hanun in the Gaza Strip impacting the construction of the 
Erez Crossing.  Yaron said that it would be good if USAID got 
involved in the area to help the Palestinians deal with the 
environmental issues there.  He said, "You have to do 
something about this." 
 
6.  (C) Yaron told the Ambassador that he had a meeting with 
Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres to better coordinate the 
disengagement process amongst themselves.  They decided that 
all technical work related to passages would fall under the 
MOD, and that Peres would work on policy matters.  Yaron 
continued that the MOD is not in a position to limit business 
by holding containers and trucks at crossings, and if trucks 
"want to cross today, they cross today."  He said the proper 
functioning of passages will depend on the security 
situation, and on the passages being built to the 
specifications in the tenders. 
 
7.  (C)  Yaron said he told World Bank President James 
Wolfensohn in early May that it is important to increase 
Palestinian ownership of the disengagement process.  He noted 
that "we have to try to find a way or create a situation in 
which ordinary Palestinian people start to feel that they 
have something to lose."  As such, he told Wolfensohn that 
the GOI has to "speed up the passages" and needs $150-200 
million to build them because the first priority is movement 
of goods and people. 
 
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Sales to Venezuela 
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8.  (C) Regarding Israeli sales of mortars and other defense 
equipment to Venezuela, Yaron told the Ambassador that Israel 
has "quite a large business there" of a few million dollars 
and needs more specific guidance from the USG.  He explained 
that this amount of trade is significant for Israel, and 
requested clearer guidance from the USG on arms sales to 
Venezuela in order to avoid another China. 
 
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MINIMIZE CONSIDERED 
KURTZER