This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 TEL AVIV 001066 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV SENV KWBG IS SETTLEMENTS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: GIDEON EZRA DISCUSSES AMONA COMMITTEE, 
POST-ELECTION DISENGAGEMENT, E-1, AND ENVIRONMENT WITH 
AMBASSADOR 
 
REF: A. JERUSALEM 01077 
 
     ¶B. EMAIL FROM JOHN FIELD (OES) TO BOB TANSEY/ANDY 
        ABELL/RUTHANNA RUFFER 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary:  Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra told 
the Ambassador on March 14 that the Israeli National Police 
(INP) knew it would encounter significant resistance during 
the demolitions of Amona, but that the operation had to be 
implemented regardless because the High Court made a 
decision.  He said that the INP and IDF are conducting a post 
mortem of the operation, but that they have not drawn any 
conclusions yet.  Ezra became visibly tense at the mention of 
the Knesset inquiry into Amona, and argued that the focus 
should be to "target" those who attacked the police, not the 
security forces themselves.  He explained that the police are 
suffering from low morale because it is "blamed every day 
about not doing something or doing too much."  With respect 
to Kadima's post-election strategy, Ezra said that the GOI 
would give Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmud Abbas 
a "chance to prove something," but that Hamas must adhere to 
the three Quartet pre-conditions before Israel would deal 
with it.  If this does not happen, the GOI will unilaterally 
evacuate from settlements east of the separation barrier, and 
maintain an IDF presence in the West Bank until final status 
talks.  Ezra claimed that the President's April 14 letter had 
acknowledged that Ma'ale Adumim and E-1 would remain in 
Israeli hands, adding that the GOI had always intended to 
build E-1, but had been temporarily prevented from doing so 
by the recently concluded court cases.  He denied that the 
move was in any way connected to the ongoing election 
campaign.  The Ambassador reminded him of U.S. policy that 
any border adjustments be "mutually agreed" with the PA and 
of U.S. concerns about construction in E-1. 
 
¶2.  (C) Summary continued:  Ezra described the incident of an 
Israeli family setting off firecrackers in the Church of the 
Annunciation in Nazareth on March 3 as an isolated case, and 
said that the GOI's relations with Christians in northern 
Israel are good.  Ezra then gave various officials from the 
INP the opportunity to describe the GOI's good working 
relations with Embassy officers, the DEA, and the Secret 
Service. 
 
¶3.  (C) Switching to environmental issues (Ezra is also 
environment minister), Dr.  Miriam Haran, the Environment 
Ministry's director general, also expressed her appreciation 
for a recent visit by U.S. EPA officials to provide technical 
advice and expertise for the Ramat Hovav industrial and 
hazardous waste disposal site in the Negev.  She said the GOI 
and EPA are cooperating on an air pollution study.  The 
Ambassador delivered demarche points on the International 
Whaling Commission, and Haran replied that although whaling 
is not an environmental issue in Israel, she would discuss it 
with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 
¶4.  (C) Ezra asked about the need for a travel warning, and 
the Ambassador explained our "no-double standard" policy with 
respect to warnings to Embassy staff and other U.S. citizens. 
 Ezra also asked for the release of Jonathan Pollard, and 
suggested the GOI could release Palestinians prisoners if "we 
get Pollard."  End summary. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Police Perspective on Amona Demolitions 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C) The Ambassador on March 14 asked Public Security 
Minister Gideon Ezra, who is also environment minister, what 
the GOI, and particularly the Israeli National Police (INP), 
learned from the demolitions of the nine permanent houses in 
Amona outpost on February 1.  Ezra responded that the police 
are undertaking a study with the IDF to see how to improve 
INP procedures, but that they have not drawn any conclusions 
yet.  He said, however, that the INP knows that with enough 
forces and an agreement with the settlers, it can avoid 
clashes on other operations, and cited the agreement reached 
on the Hebron market as an example.  He noted that the INP 
knew it would not be easy to demolish the houses and confront 
the settlers, but that the High Court made a decision to 
carry out the demolitions, and the operation had to be 
implemented.  He claimed that the GOI could not reach an 
agreement with the settlers for them to destroy the houses 
themselves despite doing "everything possible to speak to 
them," so the police had to go in. 
 
¶6.  (C) Ezra asserted that the GOI knew people in Amona would 
resist the demolitions to show that they would not go as 
easily as Gaza Disengagement.  He said that approximately 
4,500 people were present at the outpost, and that in the 
end, over 200 people were injured.  He reported that some 
police are still off duty recovering from their injuries.  He 
commented that he did not know how future evacuations or 
demolitions would go, but said that High Court decisions 
would be implemented regardless. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
Knesset Inquiry Causes Low Police Morale 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (C) The Ambassador asked about the Knesset committee set 
up to study the demolitions at Amona.  Ezra became visibly 
tense, and argued that some of the members of the committee 
are MKs who fought the police on the day of the demolitions 
-- Effi Eitam, Arieh Eldad, and Uri Ariel.  Ezra claimed that 
he and the defense minister have a right to go to the 
committee in place of the police and soldiers, and he said he 
took advantage of this right because he feels the "target" 
should be those who fought against the security forces, not 
the forces themselves.  He commented that at least three 
police officers' private cars have been burned or attacked 
since the demolitions, but concluded nevertheless that the 
GOI should "speak to settlers all the time" if it plans to 
carry out further evacuations.  Ezra's chief of staff said 
that the level of force used during the demolitions was in 
accordance with the violence that was used. 
 
¶8.  (C) Ezra also remarked that he was in a difficult 
position, because by being forced to defend the police 
against complaints of violence from settlers who attacked his 
officers, it could make the police afraid to use force in the 
future.  He explained that in Israel, the INP is "blamed 
every day about not doing something or doing too much," and, 
as a result, policemen are losing their "pride."  The 
Ambassador agreed that Ezra should do his best to protect his 
police officers because a democratic country must follow the 
rule of law, and the police are in charge of enforcing court 
verdicts.  He explained that to protect democracy, the police 
must feel empowered or they will lose force.  Ezra agreed, 
and said that Alternate Prime Minister Ehud Olmert would 
visit the police the following day to boost their spirits. 
 
---------------------------------- 
Kadima's Post-Election Strategy On 
Settlements and Separation Barrier 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (C) The Ambassador asked about Kadima's intentions after 
the election, and Ezra replied that Kadima will try to 
negotiate with anyone who will be ready, according to the 
agreements the GOI has made with the U.S. and the Palestinian 
Authority (PA).  He said Kadima would give PA President 
Mahmud Abbas a "chance to prove something," but emphasized 
that if he does not and Hamas does not agree with the 
Quartet's three pre-conditions, then Israel would "do 
something else," implying further unilateral evacuations. 
Ezra remarked, however, that unilateral evacuations from the 
West Bank would be different than those of Gaza Disengagement 
because "not one soldier was left" in Gaza after 
disengagement.  In the West Bank, even if some settlements 
were evacuated, the IDF would remain in charge until an 
agreement was reached with the PA on final status, according 
to Ezra.  He noted that at the end of the day, however, the 
most important thing is for Israel to be a Jewish and 
democratic state, and that it does not want to have control 
over the lives of thousands of Palestinians. 
 
¶10.  (C) The Ambassador asked what exactly defines a 
settlement bloc, given that there is a significant difference 
between the existing built-up areas of settlements and their 
GOI-approved municipal boundaries.  Rani Falk, the ministry's 
director general, responded that it changes every day because 
sections of the separation barrier are not built yet and many 
areas are still under discussion in the High Court.  The 
Ambassador asked whether construction of the barrier would be 
accelerated as GOI statements have claimed, and Falk 
responded that the GOI would have to follow High Court 
rulings. 
 
--------------------- 
Police Station in E-1 
--------------------- 
 
¶11.  (C) The Ambassador noted press reports that construction 
had started on the police district headquarters in the E-1 
extension of Ma'ale Adumim (ref A).  Ezra's chief of staff 
defended the project by saying that the approval process had 
continued throughout Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's term in 
office, and that it had been successfully defended by the 
State in the High Court.  He characterized the project as a 
"natural development," and said that the police "really (had) 
to move" to a proper headquarters.  He estimated that the new 
building would house a few hundred employees.  Falk agreed 
that the station had gone through the proper process, and 
said that the High Court had issued its decision a few weeks 
ago.  Ezra claimed that the President's April 14 letter had 
acknowledged that Ma'ale Adumim and E-1 would remain in 
Israeli hands, adding that the GOI had always intended to 
build E-1, but had been temporarily prevented from doing so 
by the recently concluded court cases.  He denied that the 
move was in any way connected to the ongoing election 
campaign.  He also emphasized that Ma'ale Adumim is very 
important for Israel, and that E-1 is necessary to connect 
Ma'ale Adumim to Jerusalem.  Ezra added (erroneously), "We 
understand your concern is the eastern border of Ma'ale 
Adumim," suggesting that the USG's problem with the Ma'ale 
Adumim bloc is its reach to the east, and not the 
construction of E-1 itself.  The Ambassador responded that 
the President's letter had stressed that any changes to 
borders to account for existing population centers would only 
take place by "mutual agreement" with the PA.  The Ambassador 
emphasized that this was one reason why defining settlement 
"blocs" was so important.  Ezra noted that "no one was living 
there before except the Bedouin," so the construction of 
Ma'ale Adumim should not be a problem.  The Ambassador 
replied that the main concern was the impact expansion of 
Ma'ale Adumim and construction in E-1 would have on the 
contiguity of a Palestinian state and the north-south 
transportation of Palestinians in the West Bank.  Ezra said, 
without elaborating, that an important tunnel road would be 
built for Palestinians in East Jerusalem.  He concluded that, 
"we'll separate, and it will be good for them and good for 
us." 
 
----------------- 
Nazareth Incident 
----------------- 
 
¶12.  (C) The Ambassador asked for Ezra's assessment of the 
events that took place on March 3 at the Church of the 
Annunciation, in which an Israeli family set off firecrackers 
in the Church.  Ezra responded that he thinks it will be an 
isolated incident, and that the GOI has good relations with 
Christians in northern Israel.  He said that the Christian 
Society of Nazareth and the Bishop of Haifa helped calm the 
situation, and that generally relations with Israeli Arabs 
are good.  Ezra cited as an example a recent soccer game 
between Beitar Jerusalem and the only Arab team in the 
league.  He said that he had ordered the police to secure the 
game in case riots broke out, but noted that "nothing 
happened even though the Arab team lost" on its home turf. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
GOI Appreciates USG Security Cooperation 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶13.  (C) Falk told the Ambassador that eight months ago, a 
delegation from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had 
been in Israel to develop joint working groups on security 
matters.  He said that Hurricane Katrina had impeded the U.S. 
officials from returning to Israel, but noted that on March 4 
he received word from the Israeli Embassy in Washington that 
the groups would be re-started.  Falk said that the groups 
would be busy and have good working relations.  Ezra then 
thanked the Ambassador for the USG's cooperation on the 
extradition of Ze'ev Rosenstein.  Commander Irit Bouton, head 
of the Special Operations Division of the INP's Intelligence 
Department, praised the good relations the INP has with 
Federal Bureau of Investigation officials at post, the Drug 
Enforcement Agency representative at the U.S. Embassy in 
Nicosia, Cyprus, and the U.S. Secret Service agent in Rome, 
who provides the INP with expertise on anti-money laundering 
and anti-counterfeiting methods. 
 
-------------------------- 
Ramat Hovav Chemical Plant 
-------------------------- 
 
¶14.  (C) Dr. Miriam Haran, director general of the 
environment ministry, told the Ambassador that the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) came to Israel in 
December 2005 to provide advice and suggestions toward 
sustainable solutions for the Ramat Hovav industrial and 
hazardous waste disposal site in the Negev.  She 
characterized it as a good visit, and said that the Ministry 
of Environment (MOE) is interested in further cooperation, 
training, and cleaning of chemicals, particularly asbestos. 
She said this type of cooperation with the USG is especially 
important for Negev development.  Haran said that the EPA had 
helped the MOE decide on a solution for wastewater treatment, 
explaining that the options before had been either transfer 
to the sea or evaporation.  She remarked that evaporation is 
very expensive, but that the EPA and a private environmental 
consulting firm from Holland had recommended the use of ponds 
if industry is forced by regulation to clean their waste to 
the standards allowed for chemical discharge into rivers. 
She said the pond project would cost NIS 230 million, and 
assured the Ambassador that U.S. companies would be able to 
compete in the bids.  The Ambassador asked what type of 
chemicals the Ramat Hovav plant processes, and Haran 
responded that they are pesticides and other chemical 
components such as bromine.  She said there are thousands of 
workers in the bromine industry in Israel, and that the only 
countries who produce bromine are the U.S., Israel, China, 
and France.  Haran also noted that the MOE is planning an air 
pollution study with the EPA.  She said a private NGO had 
applied for funds from the MOE and EPA to study were 
pollution particles originate. 
 
-------------------------------- 
International Whaling Commission 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶15.  (C) Haran commented that she understands the U.S. is 
interested in the GOI joining the International Whaling 
Commission (IWC).  Haran remarked that Israel does not have 
whales or whale-hunters, so this is why Israel has not joined 
the IWC to date.  She said it would be difficult to explain 
to Israelis why they have to pay to join the IWC when whaling 
is not a problem in Israel, and the GOI already has two laws 
to protect endangered species.  The Ambassador delivered 
demarche points (ref B), and explained to Haran that whales 
are a shared natural resource that benefits all mankind.  The 
U.S. urged Israel to join the whaling convention in time for 
the June IWC meeting.  Haran and Ezra said that although 
whaling is not an environmental issue in Israel, they would 
discuss joining the IWC with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 
 
-------------- 
Travel Warning 
-------------- 
 
¶16.  (C) Ezra questioned the need for a travel warning from 
the U.S.  The Ambassador responded that the USG only added 
five lines to the travel warning for Israel because crime has 
taken place in several popular places, including Herzliyya 
Pituach where many U.S. diplomats and other American citizens 
live.  He explained that the Embassy had a duty to warn its 
employees of crime dangers, and under the "no-double 
standard" policy in place since the Pan Am 103 bombing, must 
therefore warn all U.S. citizens.  Ezra asked whether it is 
possible to cancel the travel warning, and the Ambassador 
emphasized that the advisory is in place mainly to warn U.S. 
citizens about terrorism in Israel, not crime.  Micky 
Rosenfeld, representative from the INP's Foreign Press 
Office, said that it was legitimate for the U.S. to write a 
few lines about crime, but that the problem was that the 
warning had shown up on the front page of Yediot Aharanot. 
Ezra asked the Ambassador if it would be possible for him to 
tell the press that its reporting had exaggerated the 
warning, and the Ambassador said he would because he agreed 
with that assessment. 
 
--------------- 
Release Pollard 
--------------- 
 
¶17.  (C) Ezra closed the meeting by asking for the release of 
Jonathan Pollard.  He said "no one understands" why Pollard 
is in jail when Soviet spies have been released from U.S. 
jails, and added tongue-in-cheek that "we gave you 
Rosenstein."  He said that the GOI could let some Palestinian 
prisoners go if "we get Pollard."  The Ambassador responded 
that this issue is in the President's hands, but that he 
would report to Washington Ezra's remarks. 
 
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