US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV5258

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 005258 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWBG, KPAL, PREL, ECON, EAID, PINS, IS, SItrep, GAZA DISENGAGEMENT 
SUBJECT: DISENGAGEMENT SITUATION REPORT, AUGUST 25, 2005 
 
REF: TEL AVIV 5253 
 
This is a joint message from Embassy Tel Aviv and Consulate 
General Jerusalem. 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
This message conveys information as of 1600 hours local time. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: Israeli disengagement is proceeding, with 
demolition of remaining settlements underway.  Israeli focus 
has now turned to the situation of evacuees in Israel, and on 
political maneuvering post-disengagement.  A gun battle that 
ensued during an Israeli operation near Tulkarm overnight 
resulted in the deaths of five Palestinians, prompting strong 
Palestinian reactions, including a threat of revenge from 
Palestinian Islamic Jihad.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) DISENGAGEMENT STATUS 
 
-- The situation in Gaza is generally calm and quiet.  All 
settlements there have been evacuated.  Demolition work has 
continued without incident. 
 
-- About 100 evacuees from the Gaza settlement of Netzer 
Hazani plan to maintain the protest tent that they have set 
up close to the central train station in Tel Aviv.  The 
evacuees said they would agree to leave only after receiving 
a government promise for a communal housing solution. 
 
-- The government is considering acceding to a request by 40 
evacuee families from the Gush Katif settlement of Atzmona to 
establish a large temporary community in the Netivot area, 
where the "Ir Ha'emuna" ("City of Faith") tent city now 
stands. 
 
-- Removal of toxic materials in Sa Nur and Homesh was 
scheduled to begin on August 24, to be followed by the 
demolition of residences, according to UN reports. 
 
-- Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip have accused Israel 
of burying "toxic materials" under the rubble of dismantled 
settlements, according to press reports (reftel).  GOI 
Ministry of Environment contact told econoff that the MOE can 
not and will not respond to such accusations in the media.  A 
GOI official said that if the Palestinians were serious about 
such accusations, they would file an official complaint with 
details to back up the charges.  The contact added that MOE 
personnel have inspected demolition sites in Gaza "once or 
twice" in the past week.  Although not every small violation 
(e.g., a bottle of ammonia left on a kitchen counter) might 
have been noticed, there have been no reports of large items, 
such as barrels of toxic materials, being found. 
 
-- UNRWA reported that the IDF started demolishing 
greenhouses in the Netsa Khazani settlement.  Such action 
would be contrary to GOI commitments to the Quartet Special 
Envoy's (QSE) team that the IDF would not destroy any 
greenhouses and -- if verified -- could result in a reduction 
in the compensation payment.  The Israeli assessor hired by 
the private donors who purchased the Gush Khatif greenhouses 
will return to Gaza on August 28 to start a four-day 
assessment. 
 
3. (SBU) SECURITY SITUATION 
 
Jerusalem: 
 
-- Death/Injury: An assailant stabbed to death a British 
yeshiva student in the Old City; a second British student was 
seriously wounded.  Initial media reports that the second 
victim was American were erroneous. 
 
West Bank: 
 
-- Deaths: Israeli security forces killed five Palestinians 
during what the IDF characterized as an attempted arrest 
operation in the Tulkarm refugee camp at 2335 hours on August 
24.  According to Palestinian sources, the IDF killed two PIJ 
militants and one al-Aqsa Brigades militant (who had recently 
been incorporated into the security services).  A third PIJ 
activist reportedly sought by the IDF evaded capture.  During 
ensuing clashes, two teenaged boys were also killed.  The 
Palestinian source reported that the Palestinians fired no 
shots at the IDF.  Israeli officials said the suspects opened 
fire rather than face arrest. 
 
-- Shootings: The IDF reported two shooting incidents 
overnight, one near Kadim village and the other east of an 
IDF outpost near Jenin. 
 
Gaza Strip: 
-- Rockets:  Two rockets were fired at Israel between 1215 
and 1230 from the Beit Hanoun district of the Gaza Strip on 
August 25, according to UNRWA.  One Qassam rocket reportedly 
landed near the Negev town of Sderot.  There were no 
casualties. 
-- Shootings: The IDF reported two shooting incidents 
overnight, one at an IDF outpost near Kfar Darom and the 
other near Khan Younis. 
 
4. (SBU) PALESTINIAN REACTIONS 
 
-- PA Prime Minister Ahmed Quraya' condemned the August 24 
Israeli action in Tulkarm in a media interview, calling it a 
brutal crime that is a clear proof that Israel is not 
interested in maintaining the truce.  President Abbas 
similarly criticized the action.  Palestinian Islamic Jihad 
spokesman Khalid al-Batsh vowed revenge for the killings in 
statements provided to the Cairo-based Middle East News 
Agency (MENA). 
 
5. (SBU) GOI POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS 
 
-- Zvulun Orlev, from the National Religious Party, asked 
Attorney General Mazuz to order the release of all Israelis 
arrested in the course of disengagement.  Earlier on August 
25 Rabbi Ovadia Yosef asked President Katsav to pardon army 
dissidents and those arrested in the course of disengagement. 
 
 
6.  (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS/HUMANITARIAN ACCESS 
 
-- In general, most of the additional restrictions on 
movement imposed at the start of the disengagement remain in 
effect.  However, the IDF continues to demonstrate 
flexibility, particularly for humanitarian cases. 
 
-- Gaza Coastal Road:  The Coastal road is now open with free 
movement of traffic in both directions, according to 
Palestinian sources. 
 
-- Rafah Terminal:  Rafah remains open for passenger movement 
in and out of Gaza, although coordination is still required 
for Palestinian males aged 16 to 35 years. 
 
-- Erez crossing and industrial zone:  According to Gaza 
private sector contacts, Erez remains officially closed to 
Palestinians, but the IDF continues to allow a small number 
of people to pass with prior coordination based on 
humanitarian/medical grounds.  On August 25, 150 Palestinian 
workers were allowed to enter Israel.  Factory workers were 
also permitted into the Erez industrial zone, according to 
Palestinian sources. 
 
-- Abu Kholi junction: The junction remains closed during 
daylight hours until further notice.  The IDF re-opened the 
crossing at 2255 hours on August 24 and closed it at 0500 
hours on August 25. 
 
-- Karni Terminal: Karni remains open on August 25. 
 
-- Kissufim, the main crossing used to enter Gush Katif and 
Kfar Darom settlements, remains open only to traffic/persons 
leaving Gaza. 
 
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KURTZER