SPIEGEL: TALK OF EXPANDING ARIEL AND MA'ALE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 005452

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV KWBG IS SETTLEMENTS
SUBJECT: SPIEGEL: TALK OF EXPANDING ARIEL AND MA'ALE
ADUMIM ALL POLITICS

Classified By: Economic Counselor William Weinstein for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d)

This cable has been cleared by Consulate General Jerusalem


1. (C) Israeli and Palestinian media reported today,
September 6, that Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz approved the
construction of 3,000 housing units in Ariel. Israeli
officials were quoted as saying that the 3,000 units would be
built over the next ten years, and that the population of
Ariel would grow from 18,000 to 30,000. Sources from the
Prime Minister's Office, however, denied the reports and said
that the Defense Minister only approved 117 units. The units
were allegedly planned more than ten years ago when Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon was the Minister of Construction and
Housing, but construction was frozen when Yitzhak Rabin was
elected Prime Minister. Yediot Aharanoth also reported that
tenders for an additional 132 units will be issued later this
year. Meanwhile, Education Minister Limor Livnat (Likud)
told the press that Israel should ignore U.S. pressure and
build houses in the E-1 neighborhood of Ma'ale Adumim.


2. (C) Brigadier General (res.) Baruch Spiegel told econoff
that these press reports are simply statements by politicians
running for office in the upcoming Likud elections. He said
that the U.S. should expect many more of these statements in
the future, but that for planning and technical purposes,
"there are no changes." PLO Chief of Negotiations Affairs
Department Sa'eb Erekat told Voice of Palestine radio station
that the proposed construction in Ariel is the "Israeli price
for the Gaza disengagement."

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