US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV4294

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 004294 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2015 
TAGS: IS, KWBG, PBTS, PGOV, PREL, SETTLEMENTS 
SUBJECT: HOUSING MINISTRY DETAILS MEASURES TO HALT 
CONSTRUCTION IN WEST BANK SETTLEMENTS AND OUTPOSTS 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Gene A. Cretz for reasons 1.4 (b 
) and (d) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: Dr. Chaim Fialkoff, Senior Deputy Director 
General for Planning and Coordination at the Ministry of 
Construction and Housing (MOCH) provided details on MOCH,s 
reported halt in settler construction in the West Bank. 
According to Fialkoff, the MOCH halted 51 settler 
construction projects--primarily infrastructure and public 
facilities--that lacked basic approvals in the West Bank. 
Fialkoff also stated that the MOCH was working on recalling 
430 caravans allocated to settlements under Effie Eitam,s 
tenure as Housing Minister.  Fialkoff denied Palestinian 
press reports from 20 June saying that the MOCH had made an 
announcement inviting bids for the construction of 700 new 
housing units in the settlements of Ma,ale Adummim and Betar 
Illit.  End Summary. 
 
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Attempting to Curb Illegal Construction 
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2.  (C) On July 4, Dr. Chaim Fialkoff, Senior Deputy Director 
General for Planning and Coordination at the Ministry of 
Construction and Housing (MOCH) provided Econoff 
clarification on June 27 Israeli press reports saying that 
the MOCH had halted construction in 50 outposts throughout 
the West Bank. According to Fialkoff, the MOCH actually 
halted 51 settler construction projects in the West Bank that 
had lacked the "most basic planning approvals."  These 
construction projects primarily consisted of infrastructure 
work--water, roadwork, and  sewage--and public facilities, 
mostly nurseries.  The projects were halted at approximately 
35 sites throughout "Samaria," or the northern West Bank. 
When asked by Econoff if the projects curtailed were in 
settlements or outposts, Fialkoff did not specify, only 
noting that the projects lacked proper approvals. 
 
3.  (C) Fialkoff also stated that in the last year, the MOCH 
has located 430 caravans in settler sites throughout the West 
Bank, which it is now trying to recall.  These caravans were 
allocated to settlements during Effie Eitam's tenure as 
Housing Minister (March 2003-June 2004), but were stopped in 
October 2004 by then acting Housing Minister Tzipi Livni. 
Fialkoff said that while the MOCH is trying to reclaim these 
caravans, the majority of them are occupied. 
 
4.  (C) Fialkoff said that these actions were taken in 
response to a report issued by the State Comptroller on 
illegal settlement construction, prior to the publication of 
Talia Sasson,s outpost report in March 2005. According to 
Fialkoff, upon the release of the State Comptroller,s 
report, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz froze all 
allocations for new construction.  (Note: The report Fialkoff 
was probably referring to was the annual State Comptroller 
report released in May 2004 indicating that the MOCH had 
funneled approximately $6.5 million USD to illegal settlement 
construction between January 2000 and June 2003. The report 
stated that of this amount, approximately $4 
million went to funding construction projects in outposts. 
End Note.) 
 
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Ma'ale Adummim and Betar Illit:  No Tenders Issued...Yet 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
5.  (C) Fialkoff denied Palestinian press reports from June 
20 saying that the MOCH has made an announcement inviting 
bids for the construction of 700 new housing units in the 
settlements of Ma,ale Adummim and Betar Illit.  Fialkoff 
stated that he would continue to look further into this 
matter, saying that "there may have been a miscommunication." 
(Note: Housing Minister Isaac Herzog told staffdel Talwar 
July 6 that the GOI intends to eventually build 700 new 
housing units in Ma'ale Adummim and Betar Illit, but that 
this construction had not yet been formally approved by his 
Ministry (septel).  End note.) 
 
6.  (C) In response to Econoff's question on how many tenders 
outside the Green Line have been approved but not yet 
constructed, Fialkoff said that generally, the MOCH does not 
keep a backlog of approved tenders and publishes them "within 
months of approval," because they are "based on need." 
 
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