Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JERUSALEM4757
2006-11-08 15:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:  

PROPOSED FIFTH MINARET RENEWS DEBATE OVER

Tags:  PREL PGOV ECON ETRD KWBG KPAL IS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJMA #4757 3121504
ZNY CCCCC ZZH ZUI RUEWCSE0022 3121500
O 081504Z NOV 06
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 004757 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/STEINGER; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS;
TREASURY FOR SZUBIN/LOEFFLER/NUGENT/HIRSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2026
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON ETRD KWBG KPAL IS
SUBJECT: PROPOSED FIFTH MINARET RENEWS DEBATE OVER
CONSTRUCTION OF A SYNAGOGUE ON THE HARAM A-SHARIF/TEMPLE
MOUNT

CLASSIFIED BY: CONSUL GENERAL JAKE WALLES, PER REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 004757

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/STEINGER; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS;
TREASURY FOR SZUBIN/LOEFFLER/NUGENT/HIRSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2026
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON ETRD KWBG KPAL IS
SUBJECT: PROPOSED FIFTH MINARET RENEWS DEBATE OVER
CONSTRUCTION OF A SYNAGOGUE ON THE HARAM A-SHARIF/TEMPLE
MOUNT

CLASSIFIED BY: CONSUL GENERAL JAKE WALLES, PER REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: A JORDANIAN PROPOSAL TO BUILD A FIFTH MINARET
FOR THE AL AQSA MOSQUE ON OF THE HARAM A-SHARIF/TEMPLE MOUNT
HAS RENEWED CALLS BY RIGHT-WING ISRAELIS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION
OF A SYNAGOGUE IN THE SAME AREA. JORDANIAN KING ABDULLAH
ANNOUNCED A CONTEST FOR THE DESIGN OF THE MINARET IN OCTOBER
AND ISSUED A TENDER FOR THE CONSTRUCTION. MEDIA REPORTS SAID
ISRAELI MK URI ARIEL (NU-NRP) SUBSEQUENTLY CALLED FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION OF A SYNAGOGUE IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA, THE
SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE HARAM A-SHARIF/TEMPLE MOUNT AREA.
MOST OBSERVERS BELIEVE THAT CONSTRUCTION OF EITHER IS
UNLIKELY. END SUMMARY.

"A HOPE OF THE KING"
--------------


2. (C) JORDANIAN KING ABDULLAH ANNOUNCED IN EARLY OCTOBER A
CONTEST FOR THE DESIGN OF A FIFTH MINARET FOR THE AL AQSA
MOSQUE, TO BE NAMED FOR HIS LATE FATHER, KING HUSSEIN.
ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS, THE MINARET, AT 42 METERS IN
HEIGHT, WOULD BE THE TALLEST OF THE MINARETS AT AL AQSA AND
WOULD COST BETWEEN 4-500,000 JORDANIAN DINARS. THE MINARET
WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED IN THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE HARAM
A-SHARIF/TEMPLE MOUNT AREA JUST ABOVE THE AL-MARWANI MOSQUE.
IF CONSTRUCTED, THE MINARET WOULD BE THE FIRST TO BE BUILT ON
THE SITE IN MORE THAN 600 YEARS. ADNAN HUSSENI, DIRECTOR OF
THE ISLAMIC WAQF, WHICH ADMINISTERS THE AL AQSA MOSQUE, TOLD
CONGEN POLOFF HE DID NOT KNOW IF THE FIFTH MINARET WOULD BE
BUILT AND THAT HE HAD NO INFORMATION ON THE FUNDING FOR THE
PROJECT BEYOND MEDIA REPORTS. HE SPECULATED THAT THE MINARET
IS "JUST A HOPE OF THE KING."

A "CULTURAL INTIFADA"
--------------


3. (C) ACCORDING TO MEDIA REPORTS, MK URI ARIEL OF THE
NATIONAL UNION-NATIONAL RELIGIOUS PARTY WILL PRESENT PLANS
FOR A SYNAGOGUE ON THE SOUTHEASQORNER OF THE HARAM
A-SHARIF/TEMPLE MOUNT AREA IN RESPONSE TO THE PLANNED
CONSTRUCTION OF THE MINARET. DR. GABI BARKAI, AN
ARCHAEOLOGIST WITH BAR ILAN UNIVERSITY AND THE HEAD OF THE
COMMITTEE AGAINST DESTRUCTION OF ANTIQUITIES ON THE HARAM
A-SHARIF/TEMPLE MOUNT, TOLD CONGEN POLOFF THAT THE PLAN TO
CONSTRUCT A SYNAGOGUE IS "WISHFUL THINKING." HE DESCRIBED
ARIEL'S PROPOSAL AS THE LATEST OF MANY SUCH PLANS, NONE OF
WHICH HE THINKS ARE REALISTIC.


4. (C) DR. YITZHAK REITER, A SENIOR FELLOW WITH THE JERUSALEM
INSTITUTE FOR ISRAEL STUDIES AND A PROFESSOR OF MIDDLE
EASTERN AND ISLAMIC STUDIES AT HEBREW UNIVERSITY, TOLD CONGEN
POLOFF THAT "JEWISH EXTREMIST GROUPS" ARE ENCOURAGING PLANS
FOR A SYNAGOGUE ON THE HARAM A-SHARIF/TEMPLE MOUNT. HE ALSO
SAID HE DOUBTED THE SYNAGOGUE WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED. REITER
ADDED THAT NEITHER A NEW SYNAGOGUE NOR A FIFTH MINARET SHOULD
BE CONSTRUCTED IN "SUCH A DELICATE PLACE," AND SAID "EVERY
MINOR CHANGE COULD LEAD TO A CATASTROPHE."

TESTING THE STATUS QUO
--------------


5. (C) COMMENT: ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS EACH ACCUSE THE
OTHER SIDE OF DAMAGING THE AREA. WAQF DIRECTOR HUSSENI
CLAIMS THE EXCAVATIONS OF THE HASMONIAN TUNNEL PARALLEL TO
THE WESTERN WALL HAVE RESULTED IN CRACKS IN THE AL AQSA
MOSQUE, WHILE BAR ILAN ARCHEOLOGIST BARKAI SAYS THE
EXCAVATION OF DIRT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE AL-MARWANI
MOSQUE DESTROYED ARTIFACTS FROM EARLIER PERIODS. IT SEEMS
UNLIKELY THAT EITHER THE MINARET OR THE SYNAGOGUE WILL BE
CONSTRUCTED ON THE SITE. BOTH PLANS REFLECT POSTURING IN THE
STRUGGLE OVER CULTURAL OWNERSHIP OF THE HARAM A-SHARIF/TEMPLE
MOUNT. END COMMENT.

WALLES