ISRAELI PRESS REPORTS CLAIM ATTORNEY GENERAL

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000594

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

NSC FOR ABRAMS/DANIN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KWBG IS JE GOI INTERNAL ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: ISRAELI PRESS REPORTS CLAIM ATTORNEY GENERAL
REVERSES ABSENTEE PROPERTY RULING



1. (SBU) Summary. Both Ha'aretz and radio station Kol
Israel report Tuesday February 1 that Attorney General
Menachem Mazuz has "instructed the government to immediately
halt" applying the Absentee Property Law in East Jerusalem.
Mazuz is reported to have done this through a letter to
Finance Minister Netanyahu, who supervises the Custodian of
Absentee Properties Office. Embassy was unable to obtain GOI
comment on the press reports in spite of repeated attempts to
speak with a range of Israeli officials in the Foreign,
Justice, and Finance ministries. End Summary.


2. (U) According to the reports, the AG states in his
letter that applying the law in East Jerusalem to the
properties of Palestinians is not in accordance with the
objective of the law. The reports also state that:

-- Mazuz wrote in the letter that applying the law to East
Jerusalem properties "could also have grave diplomatic
repercussions on the separation fence, which has drawn strong
criticism from the International Court of Justice at The
Hague. This is an issue where clearly Israel's interest
would be to avoid opening new fronts in the world and in
international law."

-- Mazuz claimed not to have been informed of the GOI
decision to apply the law in East Jerusalem. According to
Ha'aretz: "Embarrassed Justice Ministry officials could not
explain how Mazuz wound up in the dark on such a sensitive
matter, which clearly required a legal seal of approval. The
issue constitutes a serious organizational failure that is
now being investigated..."

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Comment
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3. (SBU) The Absentee Property Law issue has been
front-page news since Ha'aretz first reported it Friday,
January 28. It appears the AG has decided to take a clear
decision not to apply the Law in East Jerusalem. Embassy
expects to obtain a definitive GOI comment within 24 hours.

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