VZCZCXRO5860
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #2086 3251536
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 201536Z NOV 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3303
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 002086 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
EA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR GOLDBERGER/LENTZ; NSC FOR 
PASCUAL; TREASURY FOR AHERN 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE/MEA:MCCLOUD/BORODIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAID ETRD KWBG PREL IS
SUBJECT: PALESTINIANS CONCERNED ABOUT ISRAELI DEVELOPMENT 
OF WEST BANK TOURISM SITES 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Palestinian businessmen and officials are 
concerned about unilateral Israeli development of tourist 
infrastructure in the West Bank.  The PLO's Negotiations 
Support Unit (NSU) considers these actions a form of illegal 
settlement activity and notes that some of the sites are in 
areas off-limits to Palestinians and Palestinian development. 
 Profits from these West Bank sites are remitted entirely to 
Israel.  The NSU reports that requests by the PA to develop 
archaeological sites in Area C have been pending Israeli 
approval for years.  End summary. 
 
GOI development continues in Palestinian territory... 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Palestinian officials and private sector tour 
operators are concerned over unilateral GOI developmet of 
tourism sites in the West Bank.  According o ConGen 
contacts, there are three sites that th GOI plans to market 
internationally as part of  new "Pilgrim's Route":  a 
Baptismal site near Jricho, the "Good Samaritan" site, and 
the Qumran aves near the Dead Sea.  The Baptismal site, also 
known as "Qasr al-Yehud," is located in an area o the Jordan 
Valley that has been a closed militay zone since 1967. 
Media report that the IsraeliMinistry of Tourism has 
invested NIS 3.5 million USD 900,000) to develop the site, 
and the Ministy of Defense will contribute NIS 1 million to 
imrove the access road.  The Good Samaritan site is ocated 
off the highway from Jericho to the Dead ea and will open in 
2009, according to the press. The Qumran caves, where the 
Dead Sea Scrolls wee found by a Bedouin in 1974, are now 
part of anIsraeli National Park located off the same highway 
(Route 90). 
 
¶3. (SBU) Officials at the NSU tol Econoff that they consider 
Israeli investment, dvelopment, and operation of 
archaeological and plgrimage sites in the West Bank as 
illegal settlment construction. 
 
...but doesn't benefit the Plestinian economy 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Hassan Saleh Hussein, Myor of Jericho, confirme to 
Econoff that Israeli development of the site near Jericho is 
not coordinated with the PA or te municipality.  He also 
stated that only Palestnians with local IDs (Jordan 
Valley/Jericho regin) are permitted to use Route 90, and 
that it wold be very difficult for Palestinian tour buses or 
tour operators to reach these sites. 
 
¶5. (SBU) he NSU notes that revenue generated from 
developent of these archaeological sites (including entrace 
and parking fees) will not benefit Palestinias, but rather 
will be remitted entirely to the Iraeli economy. 
Furthermore, because these areas ae in Area C and under 
Israeli control, the NSU pedicts local Palestinians will be 
unable to establish restaurants or souvenir shops nearby. 
 
Palestinian development largely on hold 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) In contrast, according to the NSU, requests by the 
PA to develop archaeological sites in Area C for tourism 
purposes have remained pending for years.  The NSU said a 
request to excavate and develop Sebastia (an important 
archaeological site near Nablus) has been pending for over 
eight years. 
WALLES