US embassy cable - 05JERUSALEM4288

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 004288 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NSC FOR ABRAMS/MUSTAFA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWBG, KPAL, PREL, ECON, EAID, PINS, IS, GAZA DISENGAGEMENT, SItrep 
SUBJECT: DISENGAGEMENT SITUATION REPORT, SEPTEMBER 12, 2005 
(AS 0F 1500 LOCAL TIME) 
 
 
This is a joint message from Consulate General Jerusalem and 
Embassy Tel Aviv. 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: As of 0900 local time September 12, all 
settlers and IDF personnel had departed the Gaza Strip.  PA 
security forces took over Gaza settlement areas in stages 
before dawn September 12.  Rafah crossing was closed in both 
directions by Israel, pending an agreement on border crossing 
arrangements, but the IDF no longer has a presence at the 
crossing and hundreds of Palestinians crossed Rafah on foot 
September 12.  Egyptian border guards shot and killed one 
Palestinian and injured two others while dispersing crowds 
that overran the border crossing.  Palestinian press quoted 
PA President Mahmud Abbas September 11 calling Gaza "a giant, 
open-air prison that remains occupied if Israel remains in 
control of the border crossings, particularly Rafah."  The 
Israeli Cabinet voted September 11 to leave Gaza synagogues 
intact.  Palestinian crowds entering Kfar Darom, Netzarim and 
Morag settlements set fire to synagogues there, according to 
UNRWA, late September 11.  Palestinians also looted and 
burned some businesses in the Erez Crossing Industrial Zone. 
Unknown militants fired a Qassam rocket toward Sderot 
September 11 and another on September 12, but no injuries or 
damage resulted.  Poll results released September 11 indicate 
that 84 percent of Palestinians see Israel's disengagement 
from Gaza as the result of Palestinian armed resistance, with 
40 percent giving primary credit to Hamas.  The poll also 
shows, however, strong preference for maintaining a ceasefire 
with Israel.  End Summary. 
 
2.    (SBU) DISENGAGEMENT FROM SETTLEMENTS, CROSSINGS 
 
Gaza Strip: 
 
-- IDF Redeployment: According to Israeli media and UNRWA 
reports, Gaza IDF commander BG Aviv Kochavi departed the Gaza 
Strip at 0900 this morning through Kissufim crossing, the 
last Israeli to leave Gaza after remaining IDF units 
conducted a staged withdrawal on September 11.  All settlers 
and Israeli civilian workers have already left Gaza. 
 
-- PA Security Takeover: According to UNRWA, PA security 
forces took over Gaza settlement areas in stages, starting 
with Morag and ending with Elei Sinai and Dugit, before dawn 
September 12.  Large crowds accompanied PA security forces to 
the settlement areas to celebrate Israel's withdrawal.  Large 
groups of armed militants are also in the former settlement 
areas, according to UNRWA. 
 
-- Rafah crossing: While Rafah crossing is officially closed 
in both directions by Israel, pending an agreement on border 
arrangements, the IDF no longer maintain a presence at Rafah. 
 Palestinian media reported that hundreds of Palestinians and 
some Egyptians crossed both into Egypt and into Gaza on 
September 12.  IDF South Command Liaison Major Singer 
reported that many Palestinians had crossed via Rafah into 
Egypt, but that 25 had been turned back.  One "smuggler" had 
been killed by the Egyptians and two wounded, according to 
Major Singer.  (Palestinian sources also claim that Egyptian 
border guards shot and killed a Palestinian man on September 
12--see "Security Situation" below).  Press reports quote 
Egyptian presidential spokesman Sulayman Awad as denying 
reports of a killing.  Palestinian press quoted PA President 
Mahmud Abbas September 11 calling Gaza "a giant, open-air 
prison that remains occupied if Israel remains in control of 
the border crossings, particularly Rafah."  USAID is looking 
into the possibility of providing technical support to 
facilitate opening of Rafah crossing. 
 
-- Erez crossing is open to international/humanitarian 
traffic but closed to private Palestinian movement from Erez 
into Israel, according to UNRWA. 
 
-- Erez Industrial Zone:  Early on September 12, 
approximately 200 Palestinians entered the Erez Industrial 
zone and began looting businesses, according to Gaza 
businessmen and IDF contacts.  Some buildings were set 
ablaze.  The &few dozen8 PA security personnel at the scene 
could not handle the mob, according to an IDF officer.  A 
Gaza businessman complained that the PA had not worked with 
the IDF to maintain security as the Israelis withdrew. 
 
-- Philadelphi Corridor:  The IDF completed withdrawal from 
the Philadelphi Corridor September 12, with 500 Egyptian 
border police beginning deployment there. 
 
-- Synagogues/Structures: The Israeli Cabinet voted September 
11 to leave Gaza synagogues intact, reversing course from 
previous plans to dismantle or demolish the synagogues. 
Palestinian crowds entering Kfar Darom, Netzarim and Morag 
settlements set fire to synagogues there, according to UNRWA, 
late September 11.  PA Interior Minister spokesman Tawfiq Abu 
Khusa told Arabic-language media September 11 that the PA 
would demolish the synagogues and other public buildings if 
the IDF declined to do so, as buildings still standing have 
been gutted of their interior fixtures, and may have 
structural stability problems. 
 
-- Greenhouses: At 0200 September 12, 1,500 Palestinian 
workers, now employed by the Palestinian Economic Development 
Company, entered the Gush Katif greenhouses to begin sowing 
the crop for the new planting season and to prevent looting 
or damage to the greenhouses. 
 
West Bank: 
 
-- While all settlers have departed or were removed from 
northern West Bank settlements Ganim, Kadim, Sa Nur and 
Homesh, the IDF remains in these areas, according to Israeli 
newspapers and PA security sources, and at the nearby Dotan 
IDF base.  IDF sources told Israeli newspapers that 
redeployment from these areas will take place next week, and 
that the IDF will complete demolition of civilian/military 
structures when it departs. 
 
 
3.    (SBU) SECURITY SITUATION: 
 
Gaza Strip: 
 
-- Death/Injuries:  According to PA security sources, 
Egyptian border guards shot and killed a Palestinian man and 
injured two others while dispersing crowds that overran the 
Rafah border crossing September 12. 
 
-- Kidnapping: According to PA security sources, three 
Palestinian gunmen, reportedly belonging to al-Aqsa Martyrs 
Brigades and demanding an increase in government stipends, 
kidnapped an Italian journalist in Dir al-Balah September 10, 
but released him several hours later. 
 
-- Injuries: The IDF shot and injured 11 Palestinians with 
rubber-coated bullets during stone-throwing clashes around 
the demolished Neve Dekalim settlement September 11, 
according to Palestinian newspapers. 
 
-- Missile Attack: Palestinian militants fired an anti-armor 
missile toward an IDF outpost in northern Gaza September 11, 
according to PA security sources, but no injuries or damage 
resulted. 
 
-- Qassams: Unknown militants fired a Qassam rocket toward 
Sderot September 11, and another September 12, according to 
an IDF spokesman, but no injuries or damage resulted. 
 
-- Shooting: Unknown gunmen fired shots at the PA Interior 
Ministry's spokesman's office, but no injuries or damage 
resulted, according to PA security sources. 
 
-- Violence: Al-Aqsa gunmen briefly took over PA Interior 
Ministry and Governorate offices September 10 in Khan Yunis 
and Dir al-Balah to demand jobs and salary payments, 
according to Palestinian newspapers. 
 
West Bank: 
 
-- Arrests: The IDF arrested two Palestinian women, 
separately, in Hebron and Tulkarm September 11 for allegedly 
planning attacks against IDF soldiers, according to Israeli 
newspapers. 
 
-- Explosives: The IDF reported September 11 that it 
discovered two pipe bombs at the Huwwara checkpoint, near 
Nablus, during a routine walk-around inspection. 
 
-- Confiscations: Palestinian newspapers reported September 
12 that the IDF issued confiscation orders for 578 dunums 
(about 146 acres) of land south of Bethlehem for construction 
of the separation barrier. 
 
4.    (SBU) PALESTINIAN REACTIONS: 
 
-- PA Prime Minister Ahmad Quraya' (currently in Saudi 
Arabia) published an op-ed in Palestinian newspapers 
September 12 calling Israel's disengagement from Gaza the 
result of Palestinian steadfastness and popular resistance. 
He called for Palestinians, amidst their celebrations, and 
for the international community, not to lose sight of 
continuing Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank and 
actions undermining Jerusalem's status as the future 
Palestinian capitol. 
 
-- Poll Results: According to a poll conducted by the 
Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (headed by 
Ramallah-based Khalil Shikaki) and released September 11, 84 
percent of Palestinians see Israel's disengagement from Gaza 
as the result of Palestinian armed resistance.  40 percent 
give primary credit to Hamas for disengagement, while 21 
percent assign credit to the PA and 11 percent credit Fatah. 
77 percent of Palestinians support a ceasefire with Israel, 
however, with 62 percent opposing continued attacks against 
Israel from the Gaza Strip, and 60 percent supporting 
collection of arms from Gaza's armed factions.  74 percent of 
Palestinians polled said that they plan to vote in PLC 
elections (scheduled for January 2006), with 47 percent 
saying that they plan to vote for Fatah, 30 percent for 
Hamas, 11 percent for other groups, and 11 percent undecided. 
 
-- Hamas Press Conference: Hamas spokesman Isma'il Haniyya 
held a press conference September 12 in which he called 
disengagement the result of steadfast Palestinian resistance 
to occupation.  He called on Palestinians to celebrate 
Israel's withdrawal and to continue resistance to force 
Israel to withdraw from the West Bank and Jerusalem. 
WALLES