US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV5708

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 005708 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/16/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KWBG, IS, SETTLEMENTS, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS 
SUBJECT: ECF UPDATES ON BARRIER AND DESCRIBES MAJOR 
CONCERNS ABOUT POLICE STATION IN E-1 
 
REF: A. JERUSALEM 4006 
     B. JERUSALEM 3869 
     C. TEL AVIV 4653 
     D. TEL AVIV 0707 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Gene Cretz for reasons 1.4 (b) a 
nd (d) 
 
This cable has been cleared by Consulate General Jerusalem 
 
1.  (S) Summary and Comment:  Sounding an alarmist note 
regarding GOI settlement plans in a September 1 meeting with 
econoff, Economic Cooperation Foundation (ECF) officials 
(protect) urged the USG to intervene to prevent the building 
of the police station in E-1 and said that a planned "new 
Jewish urban belt around East Jerusalem" would render 
impossible its ever becoming a Palestinian capital.  They 
view the building of the police station as an excuse to build 
infrastructure in E-1, making it easier for the GOI to later 
build homes in the area.  Also, they maintained that moving 
the station from its present location in Ras al-Amud would 
allow the settlement of Ma'ale Zeitim there to expand as 
well.  One ECF official warned that a bitter Likud election 
campaign between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Binyamin 
Netanyahu could be "a disaster" for Jerusalem as the focus of 
political competition becomes who can build up more Jewish 
areas in Arab sections of the city.  In addition, ECF claimed 
to have been informed by sources in the Ministry of Defense 
(MOD) that Sharon does not really want a separation barrier 
around Ma'ale Adumim, and is counting on U.S. pressure and 
the Israeli High Court to stop the construction.  The ECF 
official could not explain the rationale for such a reported 
Sharon position.  Given that construction has started in some 
locations of the "urban belt" around East Jerusalem, and that 
GOI military positions in the past have turned into 
residential communities, ECF's comments should not be 
discounted.  End summary and comment. 
 
--------------------- 
The Problems with E-1 
--------------------- 
 
2.  (S) Boaz Karni (protect), Economic Cooperation Foundation 
(ECF) treasurer, told econoff on September 1 that the 
original E-1 police station plan called for it to be built on 
private land.  He was skeptical of the GOI claim that it was 
the road leading to the station rather than the station 
itself that passed through private property, and that the 
problem was resolved by moving the road.  Karni strongly 
suggested that the USG make an official request for zoning 
maps of the area and the building plan.  He expressed 
surprise that the planning for the station took only three 
months, and characterized this as "moving very quickly." 
 
3.  (S) Karni described two major concerns about the E-1 
police station plan, and asked the U.S. "to stop it now."  He 
maintained that the construction is "an excuse to build 
infrastructure," such as electricity and water lines, and 
that houses would soon follow.  In addition, removing the 
station from its current location in Ras al-Amud allows the 
expansion of the Ma'ale Zeitim settlement, occupied by 
national-religious extremists, across the street (ref A). 
Ma'ale Zeitim currently consists of 52 apartments, of which 
35 are occupied.  According to Col. (ret.) Shaul Arieli 
(protect), ECF consultant and member of the Council for Peace 
and Security, the settlers there have wanted to construct a 
second apartment building "for years."  Demolishing the 
police station will make room for three or four new apartment 
buildings, which could extend the neighborhood all the way to 
the Mount of Olives.  (Note:  The spokesperson from Ateret 
Cohanim, a pro-settlements Israeli NGO that purchases 
property in the Old City and East Jerusalem to increase the 
Jewish presence in those areas, told ConGen poloffs September 
6 that construction of the second apartment building in 
Ma'ale Zeitim would begin following the settlement of two 
pending lawsuits initiated by Palestinian residents in the 
area.  End note.)  Karni concluded, vis-a-vis the upcoming 
elections, that Jerusalem will "be a disaster" if it becomes 
a pawn in the coming election campaign between Prime Minister 
Ariel Sharon and Binyamin Netanyahu. 
 
-------------------------- 
Separation Barrier Updates 
-------------------------- 
 
4.  (S) Arieli told econoff that, according to MOD sources, 
Sharon does not want a separation barrier encircling the 
northern part of the Ma'ale Adumim settlement bloc.  The 
sources claim that he wants to leave the area "open," with 
only a simple wire fence, security cameras, and a patrol 
road.  Arieli could not explain the rationale behind this. 
He said his sources said Sharon issued the land confiscation 
orders in the southern part of Ma'ale Adumim for internal 
political reasons (ref B), but that the PM is counting on 
Palestinian objections in the High Court and U.S. pressure to 
stop construction of the barrier in the area altogether. 
Asked if this did not leave an opening into Jerusalem for 
potential terror attacks, Arieli responded that "no one gets 
in" through this area in any event.  Arieli showed econoff on 
computer-based imagery that the northern part of the fence 
that Sharon reportedly does not want extends from 
approximately the military base north of E-1 to Allon 
settlement. 
5.  (S) Arieli reported that he has been testifying at the 
High Court during its current deliberations on the route of 
the separation barrier in the area of Qalandiya and al-Ram, 
northeast of Jerusalem.  He said that he had suggested 
alternative barrier routes to the court, and that High Court 
President Aharon Barak had promised a ruling for this area by 
the end of September or early October -- before the start of 
the Jewish High Holy Days.  (Note:  MOD officials told 
emboffs on September 7 that they expected a ruling in late 
October.  End note.)  Arieli explained that although the 
Court cannot accept the Council's recommendations on the 
route of the barrier, it can reject the GOI's planned route. 
The GOI can then officially adopt the Council's suggestions, 
as happened with the route in the Beit Surik area in June 
2004. 
 
----------------------------------- 
New Jewish Settlements in Jerusalem 
----------------------------------- 
 
6.  (S) Arieli detailed eight new Jewish settlements, 
including E-1, planned for the Jerusalem area, and said they 
were all in different stages of planning (ref C).  The 
projects would add an additional 30,000 units, or about 
150,000 people, and create what Arieli called a "new Jewish 
urban belt around East Jerusalem," ensuring that there would 
be "no Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem."  These 
projects include: 
 
-- Emek Ayalot, part of the master plan of the Giv'at Ze'ev 
settlement northwest of Jerusalem. 
 
-- Gevah, near the Neve Ya'akov settlement northeast of 
Jerusalem; Arieli noted that this neighborhood would create 
Israeli contiguity from Jerusalem to the settlement of Adam, 
while cutting Palestinian contiguity between Hizma and al-Ram. 
 
-- A settlement in the Palestinian village of Wadi al-Jawz, 
northeast of the Old City; econoff noted that this 
neighborhood would create Israeli contiguity between the 
eastern part of the Old City and Hebrew University on Mt. 
Scopus. 
 
-- E-1 between Ma'ale Adumim and Jerusalem; Arieli noted that 
E-1 is 12 square kilometers, almost twice the current 7 
square kilometers built-up area of Ma'ale Adumim. 
 
-- Qidmat Zion, adjacent to the separation barrier next to 
the Palestinian village of Abu Dis in East Jerusalem; Arieli 
noted that this neighborhood will consist of approximately 
200 units, with two structures already built.  (Note: 
According to the Ateret Cohanim spokesperson, Qidmat Zion is 
approved for 300 units.  End note.) 
 
-- Nof Zion, near the Palestinian village of Jabal 
al-Mukabir, south of the Old City; Arieli noted that this 
neighborhood will consist of approximately 350 units.  (Note: 
 ConGen poloff on August 30 observed bulldozers leveling and 
clearing land, and preparing a new road to the construction 
site.  End note.) 
 
-- Har Homa 2, an extension of the Har Homa settlement 
southeast of Jerusalem. 
 
-- Nof Yael, near the Palestinian village of al-Wallajah 
southwest of Jerusalem. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
7.  (S) ECF officials are experts on the settlements 
enterprise in Israel, and their advice on the settlements 
planned for East Jerusalem and the police station in E-1 is 
worthy of consideration.  Construction has already begun in 
Nof Zion and Qidmat Zion, and as the planning process moves 
along for the other settlements, it will be harder to stop 
these projects from being built.  GOI contacts have told us 
in the past, for example, that once a plan is completely 
approved, the construction companies and municipalities have 
a "legal right" to build, so the GOI is loath to prevent the 
project's execution.  ECF's concern that building the police 
station in E-1 is an excuse to lay down infrastructure is 
valid given the examples of Nahal (or military) settlements 
that turned into residential communities such as Elisha, 
Nahal Gevaot, Negohot, Rachelim, and Tal Menashe (ref D). 
End comment. 
 
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