VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJM #0358/01 0571811
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 261811Z FEB 10
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7708
INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 8832
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0063
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 5228
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000358 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, SEMEP, AND IPA; NSC FOR 
SHAPIRO/KUMAR; JOINT STAFF FOR LTGEN SELVA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/25/2020 
TAGS: PGOV KPAL KWBG SCUL KISL IS
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER FAYYAD VISITS HEBRON TO CALM LOCAL 
TENSIONS OVER ISRAEL'S NATIONAL HERITAGE LISTING; LOW 
INTENSITY SKIRMISHES 
 
REF: A. JERUSALEM 331 
     ¶B. TEL AVIV 432 
 
Classified By: Consul General Daniel Rubinstein 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  (C) Following a week of demonstrations in Hebron 
protesting the Israeli government's decision to include the 
Ibrahimi Mosque/Cave of the Patriarchs on a list of Israeli 
national heritage sites, Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime 
Minister Salam Fayyad attended Friday prayers in the Ibrahimi 
Mosque on February 26, in an attempt to calm tensions in the 
city.  Fayyad described his visit as successful, and noted 
that it concluded without incident.  Post contacts in Hebron 
reported "low intensity" skirmishes between Palestinian 
residents and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) personnel 
throughout the day.  By late afternoon, PA-Israeli security 
coordination and cold, pelting winter rain combined to put a 
damper on altercations.  Tensions remain high among 
Palestinians and Israeli settlers in Hebron, with 
Palestinians expressing concerns that the listing would limit 
access to the Ibrahimi Mosque, and settler activists 
discussing reprisals against Palestinian protesters.  End 
Summary. 
 
FAYYAD'S VISIT TO HEBRON PEACEFUL 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) On February 26, Fayyad attended Friday prayers at 
Hebron's Ibrahimi Mosque, accompanied by senior PA and Fatah 
officials.  His visit followed a week of occasionally violent 
skirmishes between Palestinian residents and IDF in the 
course of demonstrations protesting the GOI's February 21 
decision to include the Cave of the Patriarchs ("Me'arat 
ha-Machpela," co-located with the Ibrahimi Mosque) on a list 
of Israeli national heritage sites.  Delivering the day's 
sermon, PA Minister of Religious Affairs and Awaqf Mahmoud al 
Habash told attendees, "We are obliged to preserve the 
Islamic holy sites, and also those which are holy to other 
religious ...  we are obliged to defend ourselves against 
those who attack us, but at the same time we are obliged to 
be respectful of others regardless of their religious beliefs 
or race." 
 
¶3.  (U) Speaking live on Palestinian TV after prayers 
concluded, Fayyad called for international rejection of the 
Israeli government decision, saying this was a "political 
(decision) that seeks to consider these places as Israeli -- 
and (they) are not."  Fayyad said, "it is our responsibility 
to create new positive facts on the ground on a daily basis 
which will bring us closer to our goal" of a Palestinian 
state. 
 
¶4.  (C) Immediately before Friday prayers, Fayyad met with 
the Hebron governor and security chiefs.  Participants in the 
meeting told Post that Fayyad stressed the need for security 
forces to remain vigilant and ensure that only peaceful 
protests took place in the city.  According to local sources, 
the security situation in Hebron remained quiet throughout 
Fayyad's visit.  Hebron resident Dina Ja'bari told PolOff 
that Fayyad's visit was well-received locally, saying it was 
"very important to the community that high-profile figures 
come to show concern and sympathy."  Afterwards, Fayyad told 
the Consul General that he considered his visit "very 
successful" and "incident-free."  He praised both the sermon 
delivered by Habash -- which highlighted the importance of 
religious tolerance while criticizing GOI policies -- and the 
efforts of PA security officials in Hebron. 
 
"LOW INTENSITY" SKIRMISHES CONTINUE 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) Shortly after Fayyad departed Hebron, skirmishes 
resumed in the Abu Sneineh area of Hebron city, as well as 
along the divider line between the (PA-controlled) H1 and 
(GOI-controlled) H2 districts, near al-Shalala Street. 
According to local sources, the IDF responded to 
rock-throwing Palestinian youths with rubber bullet and tear 
gas.  No serious injuries were reported.  The confrontations 
were the latest in a series of skirmishes (Ref A) since the 
GOI announcement.  "Demonstrations have turned into clashes 
 
 
-- usually, it's a group of youths throwing rocks at the 
IDF," said Simon Agerberg, Political Advisor to the Temporary 
International Presence in Hebron.  Agerberg said the IDF was 
responding with tear gas and rubber bullets, but there had 
been no serious injuries.  The clashes were quickly 
dispersed, he added. 
 
¶6.  (C)  According to Agerberg, this week's clashes were much 
less severe than those that occurred just a year before, when 
Hebron Palestinians demonstrated against IDF combat 
operations in the Gaza Strip during December 2008 and January 
¶2009.  "We've seen much, much worse," Agerberg said.  He 
attributed the "low intensity" of the more recent clashes to 
cold winter rain and thunderstorms in the region, as well as 
what he perceived as improved coordination between PA 
security forces and the IDF.  "Our Palestinian security 
contacts said that they have been very happy with IDF 
coordination in allowing them access to manage the 
demonstrators," Agerberg told PolOff. 
 
HEBRON PALESTINIANS FEAR LOSS OF ACCESS TO IBRAHIMI MOSQUE 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
¶7.  (C) Hebron resident Ja'bari said that her uncle, Zaid 
al-Ja'bari -- head of the Waqf at Ibrahimi Mosque -- had told 
her that "for the time being, we don't see any changes to the 
way the Ibrahimi Mosque is being managed.  We read in the 
news that (Israeli Prime Minister) Netanyahu said that there 
won't be any changes to Ibrahimi Mosque, so we're are 
slightly reassured."  Note:  Ja'bari was referring to 
comments in the Israeli press attributed to Netanyahu that 
freedom of worship at the mosque would be maintained, and 
that the purpose of the decision was to allow for renovation 
and maintenance of the current status.  End Note. 
 
¶8.  (C) Ja'bari said that Hebron residents are "concerned 
about the outcome.  They know it always starts off as 
something little at first, and then, the steps move 
drastically forward."  There would be consequences as a 
result of the mosque being placed on the (Israeli heritage) 
list, she predicted.  Hebronites were "waiting for the next 
steps," fearing more restrictions of access to the mosque, 
prevention of prayers, and mosque closures, she added. 
 
 
HEBRON SETTLERS THREATEN VIOLENT PROTEST 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (C) David Wilder, spokesperson for the Jewish Community 
of Hebron, which petitioned the GOI to include the Cave of 
the Patriarchs in its 2010 "Heritage Plan," told PolOff, "(PA 
President) Abu Mazen names a street after the murderer of a 
Jew and the U.S. still backs him.  He accused the USG of 
"trying to prevent the GOI from declaring Hebron a heritage 
site and fixing it up."  Wilder warned of possible violent 
retaliation against Palestinian demonstrators from Hebron's 
settler community, saying, "Maybe we will do the same (as the 
Arabs) and publicize a threat to conduct an intifada in the 
heart of Hebron."  We should act like Arabs," Wilder 
threatened, "and take whatever steps and do whatever is 
necessary to ensure our survival." 
 
RUBINSTEIN