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Viewing cable 05TELAVIV1430, TALIA SASSON'S "EXPLOSIVE" REPORT ON ILLEGAL

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
05TELAVIV1430 2005-03-10 17:54 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Tel Aviv
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 001430 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KWBG IS SETTLEMENTS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: TALIA SASSON'S "EXPLOSIVE" REPORT ON ILLEGAL 
SETTLEMENT ACTIVITY 
 
1.  (U) Summary and Comment:  Attorney Talia Sasson on March 
8 submitted a report on illegal settlement activity in the 
West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBGS) to Prime Minister Ariel 
Sharon.  The report has been characterized as a "powerful 
bombshell" and "explosive on an international level."  In the 
document, Sasson emphasizes the roles of the Settlement 
Division of the World Zionist Organization (WZO), the Civil 
Administration, and the Ministry of Construction and Housing 
(MOCH) in fostering the establishment and expansion of 
illegal outposts and settlements.  She notes that the GOI has 
taken control of private Palestinian land, and issues various 
recommendations:  suspending the activities of the 
Settlements Division, conducting an examination on the rights 
to the lands, and controlling the movement of trailers.  Post 
has received a copy of the report from the GOI in Hebrew and 
will follow up with a more detailed analysis.  End Summary 
and Comment. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
Illegal Outposts:  A Government-Sponsored Process 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
2.  (U) Talia Sasson's "powerful bombshell" document on 
illegal settlement activity in the West Bank and Gaza Strip 
(WBGS) confirms post's reporting about the Israeli 
government's involvement in the establishment of illegal 
outposts and settlements.  According to press, Sasson's 
report states that "the process of outpost expansion is 
profoundly under way," and explains how illegal outposts are 
established under the government's sponsorship.  Using what 
is probably the example of the Migron outpost, she notes that 
first an antenna was set up, which immediately required "an 
electrical line to feed the antenna."  Then a booth was put 
in place for a guard, a dirt road was paved, and 
infrastructure was set up for the guard's booth, and then for 
trailers.  Once the trailers arrived, the settlers came and 
the outpost became an established fact on the ground.  Press 
reports that another method used is to set up a farm or 
educational institution which needs housing for the staff, 
with the staff eventually becoming settlers in a new outpost. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Among the Guiltiest of Parties... 
--------------------------------- 
 
3.  According to Maariv's Ben Caspit, the Sasson report 
emphasizes the roles of the Settlements Division of the World 
Zionist Organization (WZO), -- which he incorrectly 
identified as belonging to the Jewish Agency instead of WZO 
-- the Civil Administration, and the Ministry of Construction 
and Housing (MOCH) as the key players in the establishment 
and expansion of illegal settlements and outposts. 
 
-- Sasson writes in her report that "the Settlement Division 
built unauthorized settlement outposts while disregarding the 
need to draft a detailed and viable plan, and this was not 
accidental but rather a work method."  She claims that the 
Settlements Division violated the Jordanian planning and 
construction laws that apply to land in the WBGS. 
 
-- The Sasson Report also severely criticizes the Civil 
Administration's activities in the WBGS (Note:  the Civil 
Administration is responsible for allocating lands for 
settlements and outposts.  End note).  Sasson discovered 
during her research that some the land that was allocated for 
construction or establishment of outposts was privately owned 
by Palestinians. 
 
-- Sasson notes that the MOCH used its own and external 
architects to plan outposts after they were established even 
if the GOI had not authorized them.  She also reports that 
the Ministry fraudulently acquired 520 trailers in 2003 for 
NIS33 million:  the trailers were ordered, manufactured, and 
in position before the MOCH even issued the tender for them. 
In addition, the Ministry did not sign any agreements with 
the settlers who would be using the trailers, and thus did 
not receive payment for them for "approximately a year and a 
half," ultimately costing the state million of shekels. 
 
------------------- 
Trailer Shenanigans 
------------------- 
 
4.  (U) According to press, there have been a number of other 
instances in which settlers or GOI officials have misused 
trailers.  The settlers can establish outposts overnight 
using the trailers because they are houses on wheels and can 
be "transported, positioned on the ground, and hooked up to 
the infrastructure" in short periods of time, even without 
the appropriate transportation and construction permits.  At 
times, according to Sasson's report, the Defense Minister's 
Settlements Advisor, Ron Shekner, had approved moving a 
trailer to an area without settlement status.  In addition, 
Sasson notes that in reviewing the fate of 111 trailers that 
had authorization to move to certain locations but never made 
it to the final destination, 70 of the trailers may have 
ended up in illegal outposts. 
 
------------------------ 
Sasson's Recommendations 
------------------------ 
 
5.  (U) Among Sasson's recommendations is stopping the 
activity of WZO's Settlement Division, "unless the Settlement 
Division is authorized, ad hoc, by the government to function 
as a settling body for the purpose of building a new 
settlement or expanding a concrete settlement."  In addition, 
Sasson advocates conducting an in-depth examination of who 
hold the rights to the lands that are being allocated for the 
establishment of settlements and outposts, particularly since 
the Civil Administration has allocated land that is privately 
owned by Palestinians.  She also makes several 
recommendations on the trailer phenomenon:  requests for 
trailers should come with legal construction permits, 
affidavits explaining the need for a trailer, aerial photos 
of the trailer's destination, and "the signature of the local 
council's chief engineer ensuring that the trailer will be 
positioned legally."  Sasson recommends that individuals who 
apply for permits to move their trailers must pay monetary 
deposits for 18 months to ensure that the trailers reach 
their declared destinations.  She also suggests that the 
Prime Minister and Defense Minister approve trailer purchases 
prior to the issuance of tenders. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
6.  (U) Post will conduct a more thorough examination of 
Sasson's report when the Hebrew version we have received from 
the GOI is translated into English.  The preview of the 
report is indeed "explosive," particularly when it notes: 
"no one seriously intends to enforce the law.  It seems as if 
the violation of the law has become institutional and 
institutionalized.  There is blatant violation of the law by 
certain state authorities, public authorities, regional 
councils in Judea and Samaria, and the settlers." 
 
********************************************* ******************** 
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. 
********************************************* ******************** 
KURTZER