VZCZCXRO9661
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1496 2261445
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 131445Z AUG 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2499
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY

"C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001496 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2018 
TAGS: KWBG PBTS PREL PHUM IS
SUBJECT: YESHA AGREES TO MOVE MIGRON'S OUTPOST; RESIDENTS 
OBJECT 
 
Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C)  SUMMARY:  The Yesha Council voted unanimously August 
11 to approve an ""understanding"" with the Israeli MOD to move 
Migron outpost in exchange for permanent, legal housing in 
one of four possible nearby West Bank locations.  The 
understanding provides for the construction of new homes 
before Migron settlers will move, which could take years. 
Council members acknowledge that Migron settlers and key 
settler rabbis oppose the agreement.  END SUMMARY 
 
Council votes to move Migron per agreement with MOD 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶2.  (C)  Yesha Council chairman Dani Dayan confirmed to 
Poloff August 12 the Council's August 11 decision to approve 
an ""understanding"" with the MOD to move Migron outpost to an 
undecided location.  Fourteen members voted in favor, and 
four abstained, although Dayan said some voted yes ""with a 
heavy heart.""  Yesha Director General Pinchas Wallerstein 
told Poloff August 12 that the State Attorney will formally 
inform the HCJ of the agreement in writing August 14.  (NOTE: 
The GOI previously committed to the HCJ to implement the 
court order to move Migron by August 1. END NOTE) According 
to Dayan, once the HCJ accepts the plan for Migron's move, 
MOD will make it an official agreement with the Yesha Council. 
 
Settlers to move once new houses built 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C)  According to Wallerstein, the agreement states: ""In 
exchange for moving from Migron's current location, the 
Migron settlers will receive permanent, new houses in a new, 
legal location.""  Dayan and Wallerstein both confirmed that 
Migron settlers will not move until new, permanent houses are 
constructed, which Wallerstein told Poloff would mean ""at 
least a year and half"" before settlers move. 
 
¶4.  (C)  Wallerstein told Poloff that the Yesha Council will 
have thirty days to determine the new location for Migron 
residents.  It will be one of four possibilities, all of 
which are east of the separation barrier:  a hilltop 300 
meters north of Migron; the Binyamin Industrial Zone, three 
km north of Migron; or the east or west side of Adam 
settlement, five km north of Migron.  Wallerstein said the 
locations are based on settlers' desire to stay near Migron's 
current location.  Of the potential relocation sites, two 
would represent new settlements (the hilltop nearby and the 
Binyamin Industrial Zone) and two would expand Adam 
settlement.  Wallerstein said the GOI offered land at Kfar 
Adumim near Maale Adumim some eight km southeast of Migron, 
but it was rejected as too far away.  Wallerstein predicted 
that once the agreement is in place, the GOI would establish 
Migron as a new settlement.  This ""has not happened in a long 
time."" 
 
Migron settlers and key rabbis remain opposed 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C)  Dayan and Wallerstein confirmed that Migron settlers 
are opposed to the pending agreement.  ""This is not an ideal 
compromise,"" Dayan said, and ""we're being attacked by the 
loyalists, extremists, and even some of our mainstream"" over 
the deal.  Wallerstein told Poloff that several key settler 
rabbis, including Rabbi Dov Lior of Hebron and Rabbi Zalman 
Melamed of Beit El, oppose the agreement. Wallerstein said 
the entire Binyamin Regional Council that oversees Migron and 
the surrounding area opposes the agreement based on Migron 
residents' views.  Settler Yisrael Medad told Poloff that 
Rabbi Zvi Yisrael Tau of Jerusalem, who taught many of the 
young Migron residents and is ""generally more moderate,"" may 
able to convince Migron settlers to agree to the deal. 
 
¶6.  (C)  ""This is a very good deal,"" Wallerstein told Poloff, 
but ""after Gush Katif they don't believe the government will 
make good on its promises.""  Ofra settler Aliza Herbst told 
Poloff that the Migron deal represents a ""crisis of 
confidence in Yesha leadership.""  ""Three or four years ago,"" 
she said, the settlers ""would have taken our word that this 
is a good thing, but now they don't trust even Yesha."" 
WALLES 
"