VZCZCXRO0651
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0316 0550919
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 240919Z FEB 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4168
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000316 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR SHAPIRO/PASCUAL; 
JOINT STAFF FOR LTG SELVA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2019 
TAGS:          
SUBJECT: ISRAEL RESTRICTS ACCESS TO "SEAM ZONE" ALONG 
SEPARATION BARRIER IN JERUSALEM, WEST BANK 
 
REF: 07 JERUSALEM 2555 
 
Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
 1.  (SBU) Summary.  A series of IDF closure orders will 
restrict access for West Bank Palestinians to the "seam zone" 
between the separation barrier and the green line.  The 
January 5 orders primarily impact lands adjacent to completed 
sections of the barrier in the central and southern West Bank 
and near Jerusalem.  Palestinians who live inside these areas 
of the "seam zone" or whose agricultural lands are there will 
be required to obtain a permit from the Israeli Coordinator 
of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).  End 
Summary. 
 
Closure Orders Issued 
--------------------- 
 
 2.  (C)  A series of closure orders issued by the IDF on 
January 5 and scheduled to take effect February 20 will 
restrict access for West Bank Palestinians to the "seam zone" 
between the separation barrier and the green line (or, in the 
case of Jerusalem, the Israeli-defined municipal boundaries). 
 UN OCHA provided Poloff with five orders (09/01/S through 
09/07/S, excluding 09/04/S and 09/05/S) signed by West Bank 
IDF Commander MG Gadi Shamni.  OCHA did not have orders 
09/04/S and 09/05/S, and said some of the local COGAT offices 
had refused to provide copies of the orders.  (Post will 
email copies to NEA/IPA and Embassy Tel Aviv.)  Similar 
closure orders have been in effect and periodically renewed 
since October 2, 2003, in the northern West Bank. 
 
 3.  (SBU) The orders primarily impact lands adjacent to 
completed sections of the barrier in the central and southern 
West Bank and near Jerusalem.  The orders limit entry to 
designated seam zone to Israeli citizens and permanent 
residents (i.e., East Jerusalem residents with Israeli IDs) 
and to permit holders.  West Bank Palestinians aged 16 and 
older must obtain a permit and prove "constant residence" in 
the seam zone.  (The orders do not define the term "constant 
residence.")  OCHA and B'tselem contacts told Poloff they do 
not know the total land area to which access is restricted, 
nor the number of Palestinians affected. 
 
WALLES