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

191727Z May 06

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 001983 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/IPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PARM KPAL KWBG IR IS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: RAMON ON CONVERGENCE AND ILLEGAL OUTPOSTS 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b and d). 
 
¶1.  (C) Minister of Justice Haim Ramon told the Ambassador 
May 16 that his government will "sincerely" try to work with 
Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmud Abbas until at 
least the end of the year, before deciding, if this effort 
fails, to implement convergence.  Ramon admitted that through 
negotiations with a partner the Israelis might concede more 
land than they would do through the independent action 
anticipated by the convergence plan.  Without a partner, 
however, Ramon said, "convergence is the only game in town," 
because by passively maintaining the status quo the GOI will 
significantly increase Israel's vulnerability to "the 
terrorist and demographic threats."  "We've got a good case," 
Ramon said.  "We're not increasing the occupation, we're 
pulling back and hopefully turning this dispute into one 
merely of borders."  Ramon claimed that Abbas may respond to 
Israeli attempts to work with him by seeking to skip to the 
final phase of the road map, and by focusing on politically 
loaded issues such as the release of some Palestinian 
prisoners from Israeli jails.  The Israelis will not accept 
these demands, Ramon insisted.  Ramon noted that, regardless 
of their progress with Abbas, GOI officials will begin 
providing humanitarian aid to the Palestinians by delivering 
in-kind assistance (goods), but not cash. 
 
¶2.  (C) Ramon said that a special committee is currently 
thinking through various options for the GOI in the West Bank 
after convergence, including being open to creating a 
substantial Jordanian border passage ("like Rafah") in the 
Jordan Valley.  He said that the passage arrangements might 
include Israeli and even third party observers.  Ramon said 
that it is too early to decide whether or not to destroy West 
Bank settlements after Israel vacates them, but he stressed 
that the GOI will retain west of the separation barrier major 
settlement blocks such as Maale Adumim and Ariel, which he 
claimed comprise approximately one percent of land in the 
West Bank.  The Ambassador noted that even one percent could 
inhibit north-south movement for Palestinians, insisting that 
"reduction of obstacles to movement is one of our highest 
priorities."  Ramon defended inclusion of Ariel by arguing 
that it would become like a "balloon on a string" (i.e. the 
fence would protect both sides of the road leading to Ariel) 
and that tunnels under the "string" would allow N/S movement. 
 On Maale Adumim, Ramon explained that the GOI plans to 
construct a north-south highway for the Palestinians in the 
E-1, Maale Adumim area at a cost of approximately one quarter 
of a billion dollars.  Ramon also said that as part of its 
aim to complete construction of the separation barrier by 
year's end, changes in the barrier's route could reduce the 
number of Palestinians west of the barrier from their current 
level of approximately 6,000, under the existing route plan, 
to between approximately 2,000 and 3,000.  (Note: He freely 
acknowledged that this estimate does not include Palestinians 
living in Jerusalem.  End note.) 
 
¶3.  (C) Ramon said that he will move legislation forward to 
expedite the removal of illegal outposts.  Firm action on the 
illegal outposts, Ramon explained, forms part of the GOI plan 
to garner international support for the convergence plan.  He 
claimed that he will tell settler leaders who oppose this 
action, "I have no power to compromise because we made a 
promise to the Americans.  I can only present compromise 
proposals to the U.S. government, and it is up to them to 
decide."  He mentioned that he will chair a government 
committee that he intends to use to make it more difficult to 
build new outposts. 
 
¶4.  (C) Other issues covered in the meeting, including 
trafficking in persons, Magen David Adom, intellectual 
property rights, and nationality and entry, are covered in 
septels. 
 
********************************************* ******************** 
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv 
 
You can also access this site through the State Department's 
Classified SIPRNET website. 
********************************************* ******************** 
JONES