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Carol X Weakley  11/07/2006 02:15:14 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Carol X Weakley

Cable 
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UNCLAS        TEL AVIV 04398

SIPDIS
CXTelA:
    ACTION: CONS
    INFO:   POL DCM

DISSEMINATION: CONS
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: AMB:RHJONES
DRAFTED: POL:MJSIEVERS
CLEARED: NONE

VZCZCTVI154
PP RUEHC RUEHAM RUEHEG RUEHJM
DE RUEHTV #4398 3071704
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031704Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7406
INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 0991
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 8788
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 4934

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 004398 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CASC PHUM PREL IS
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RAISES TREATMENT OF AMCITS WITH MFA 
DIRECTOR GENERAL ABRAMOVITCH 
 
 
 ¶1. (SBU) The Ambassador raised reports of GOI mistreatment 
of American citizens during a working lunch October 31 with 
MFA Director General Aharon Abramovitch and Deputy Director 
General for North America Yoram Ben Zeev.  The Ambassador 
noted that we had two separate types of concerns:  a change 
in the way the Israeli Ministry of Interior was handling 
requests by Amcits residing in the West Bank to renew their 
visas, as well as an increase in complaints by Amcits about 
mistreatment at Ben Gurion Airport.  As an example, the 
Ambassador cited the case of a U.S. military doctor departing 
Israel after attending an exchange program who had been 
harassed and had his camera broken by Ben Gurion security 
personnel October 30. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Ambassador said we knew the Attorney General 
had recently advised the Minister of Interior that the GOI 
more strictly enforce regulations on renewing three-month 
tourist visas for Amcits, many but not all of them of 
Palestinian origin, who reside in the West Bank.  Since the 
GOI would not grant these Amcits residency, the Ambassador 
explained, in the past they were forced to enter Israel on 
three month tourist visas, which they had heretofore been 
able to renew without a problem.  Since the Attorney 
General's recommendation last spring, however, the U.S. 
Consulate General in Jerusalem estimated that the GOI had 
denied about 200 Amcits' requests to renew their visas.  The 
Ambassador said we could understand the Attorney General's 
desire to enforce Israeli laws and regulations, but if the 
problem was concern that Americans were working and residing 
in the West Bank on tourist visas, the answer should be to 
give them a mechanism to establish legal residence.  Many of 
these Amcits have been living in the West Bank for years and 
had families or businesses that created jobs for 
Palestinians.  They were part of the solution, not part of 
the problem. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Regarding the Amcit residents, Abramovitch said he 
had met with the Director General of the Ministry of 
Interior, and was planning meetings with the Ministry of 
Justice and security services to discuss the issue. 
Abramovitch stressed that the GOI had changed the 
implementation of existing regulations, but had not issued 
new regulations.  Abramovitch said he thought it would be a 
good idea for the Ambassador to raise the issue with Minister 
of Interior Bar On as well.  Meanwhile, he would continue to 
work the interagency process to find a practical solution. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) On the airport harassment issue, the Ambassador 
told Abramovitch and Ben Zeev that the Embassy had an 
obligation to inform American citizens if we believe they may 
face problems at Ben Gurion Airport.  Washington may 
therefore consider changing our travel warning.  Ben Zeev 
told the Ambassador that the MFA consular department 
maintained a 24-hour operations center as well as an MFA 
official at the airport.  Until MFA had time to develop a 
more permanent solution, Ben Zeev said the Embassy should 
contact his deputy, Dan Arbell, any time there was a problem 
at Ben Gurion and Arbell would call the MFA's official at the 
airport to intervene in order to resolve the problem.  The 
Ambassador thanked Abramovitch and Ben Zeev for their efforts 
to improve the situation, noting that the mistreatment of 
American citizens by Israel was already being reported in the 
U.S. media. 
 
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JONES