US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV4862

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 004862 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/05/2015 
TAGS: ECON, EAID, KWBG, KPAL, PREL, IS, GAZA DISENGAGEMENT 
SUBJECT: GAZA DISENGAGEMENT UPDATE, AUGUST 5, 2005 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Gene A. Cretz for reasons 1.4 (b 
) and (d) 
 
This cable was cleared with Consulate General Jerusalem. 
 
1.  (C) This report summarizes current GOI views on the 
progress of disengagement coordination between the GOI and 
the PA and updates from the Quartet Special Envoy's (QSE) 
staff.  The August 4 trilateral held under QSE Wolfensohn 
auspices generated concurrence on how to organize upcoming 
GOI-PA negotiations on Karni and Erez crossings, including 
regarding door-to-door shipping.  Technical-level teams will 
meet on the crossings the week of August 7, with the PA's 
agreement that management and technological improvements will 
align with Israeli security standards.  The GOI and PA also 
agreed to postpone talks about dispute resolution mechanisms 
at the crossings, asking instead that the World Bank draft 
universally acceptable proposals.  The MoD believes it will 
be difficult to remove a small number  of West Bank barriers 
and checkpoints in the immediate term as a 
confidence-building measure, citing a tightened security 
situation in the West Bank in the run-up to disengagement. 
The GOI has determined that money for demolition of the 
settlement houses will come out of the Ministry of Defense 
budget, with Wolfensohn suggesting that the money go through 
the World Bank rather than directly to the PA.  Wolfensohn 
has agreed to help encourage potential private sector and 
philanthropic donations for greenhouses in Gaza.  End summary. 
 
2.  (C) Passages and Trade: 
 
-- According to Brig. Gen. Baruch Spiegel, the August 4 
trilateral held under the auspices of QSE Wolfensohn 
generated practical steps forward on crossings coordination, 
including agreements on door-to-door shipping, although 
details remain to be worked out. The two sides agreed that a 
GOI-PA team will work with international experts to define 
parameters on waiting times and scanning procedures at Erez 
crossing, with the PA agreeing this will be done in 
accordance with Israeli security standards. 
 
-- Spiegel noted that the PA is addressing their concerns on 
Gaza's Erez border at the ministerial level, leaving the 
technical teams free to discuss practicalities. 
 
-- The GOI and PA agreed to postpone talks about dispute 
resolution mechanisms, asking instead that the World Bank 
draft universally acceptable proposals.  Earlier discussions 
of integrated management systems will also be put on hold, 
Spiegel said, in favor of a "bottom-up" approach to 
addressing the different management issues that will 
incorporate the findings of the GOI group that recently 
returned from a tour of U.S. scanner technology and 
management solutions. 
 
3.  (C)  WB/Gaza Link: 
 
-- According to Ramon, it will be faster to build a railroad 
as the West Bank-Gaza link due to Israeli regulations and 
legal issues.  He said the GOI hopes the PA will agree now to 
rail construction with the potential to discuss a sunken road 
in the future. 
 
4.  (C) Movement in the West Bank: 
 
-- Spiegel confirmed that a working-level OCHA-IDF group has 
begun meeting to deconflict IDF and OCHA barrier tallies, but 
he has not yet met with OCHA head David Schearer.  Spiegel 
said the GOI is focused on tightening pre-disengagement 
security in the West Bank, and it will be difficult to remove 
even a small number of checkpoints and barriers in the 
immediate term as a confidence-building measure. 
 
5.  (C) Air/Seaports: 
 
-- Ramon confirmed that the Dutch have agreed to finance 
construction of the Gaza seaport.  He noted that the GOI will 
be unable to give the Dutch the official go-ahead until after 
disengagement, when the GOI and PA have agreed on the 
modalities for resolving security, legal, and environmental 
concerns.  He noted that the PA has agreed to build the 
seaport in the originally planned location, close to the 
evacuated Nitzanim settlement area, but this proposal has 
been slowed by Israeli environmental objections.  (Note: QSE 
Wolfensohn has agreed that the World Bank and EC will take 
60-90 days to re-visit studies and recommendations on the 
location of the seaport before donor funding begins.  End 
note.) 
 
6.  (C) Settlement Housing: 
 
-- According to Ramon, Israeli money for demolition of the 
settlement houses will come out of the MoD budget.  The GOI 
prefers that the money go through the World Bank, as 
suggested by QSE Wolfensohn, rather than directly to the PA; 
Wolfensohn is currently forming bilateral private sector 
groups to determine a Palestinian contractor for the 
demolition and removal.  The GOI believes that only 20 
percent of rubble will need to be removed to Egypt, Ramon 
said, but the GOI has not received confirmation from the 
Egyptians that they will accept it. 
 
7.  (C) Greenhouses: 
 
--QSE Wolfensohn has identified USD 15 million in l private 
sector and philanthropic donations that could be used for 
greenhouses in Gaza.  Various parties are working together to 
structure a deal.  Wolfensohn has asked that this matter, 
including the identities of the private donors, be kept 
close-hold. 
 
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