THREE EAST JERUSALEM HOMES AND ONE BUSINESS

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 004920

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/STEINGER; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2026
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON KWBG KPAL IS
SUBJECT: THREE EAST JERUSALEM HOMES AND ONE BUSINESS
DEMOLISHED


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


1. (C) SUMMARY: AN EAST JERUSALEM BUSINESS WAS DEMOLISHED
DECEMBER 5 AND THREE EAST JERUSALEM HOMES WERE DEMOLISHED OR
PARTIALLY DEMOLISHED DECEMBER 6. ALL OF THE AFFECTED
STRUCTURES HAD RECEIVED ORDERS OF DEMOLITION FOR LACKING
BUILDING PERMITS, THOUGH AT LEAST TWO OF THE THREE HOMES WERE
PARTIALLY DEMOLISHED THE OWNERS DESPITE HAVING OBTAINED STAY
ORDERS FROM THE MUNICIPAL COURT. RABBI YEHIEL GRENIMANN,
FIELD DIRECTOR FOR RABBIS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, TOLD POLOFF
DECEMBER 7 THAT THE JERUSALEM MUNICIPALITY PLANNED TO USE THE
REMAINDER OF ITS BUDGET FOR DEMOLITIONS BEFORE THE END OF THE
CALENDAR YEAR AND THAT AS MANY AS 18 HOMES IN EAST JERUSALEM
COULD BE DEMOLISHED BY DECEMBER 31. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) ON DECEMBER 5, A 150 SQUARE METER TEXTILE
MANUFACTURING WORKSHOP BELONGING TO THE AMER COMMITTEE WAS
DEMOLISHED IN RAS AL AMUD. ON DECEMBER 6, AN UNFINISHED HOUSE
IN ISSAWIYA NEAR THE AL-ZAIM CHECKPOINT ON THE ROAD TO MA'ALE
ADUMIM, WAS DEMOLISHED.


3. (C) TWO HOMES WERE PARTIALLY DEMOLISHED, AND IN BOTH
CASES, THE OWNER HAD RECEIVED A STAY ORDER. THE THIRD FLOOR
OF THE HOME OF FAIZ EL RAZEM, LOCATED ON SHALSHELET STREET IN
JERUSALEM'S OLD CITY, WAS ALSO DEMOLISHED ON DECEMBER 6. THE
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THAT HOUSE, WHICH
HOUSES 50 PEOPLE, WAS ISSUED DECEMBER 5, AND THE OWNER
OBTAINED A STAY ORDER PRIOR TO DEMOLITION. RADIR ABU GALIA
ALSO OBTAINED A STAY ORDER FROM THE COURT FOR HIS HOME,
LOCATED IN A-TUR, BUT GRENIMANN TOLD POLOFF THAT THE
DEMOLITION CREW CONTINUED DESTROYING THE HOME DESPITE HAVING
A FAXED COPY OF THE ORDER. GRENIMANN SAID THAT BY THE TIME
GALIA'S ATTORNEY ARRIVED WITH THE ORIGINAL COPY OF THE STAY,
ONLY TWO ROOMS WERE LEFT STANDING. HE SAID THAT THE HOME NOW
HAS NO KITCHEN OR LIVING ROOM, BUT THE CITY ENGINEER DECLARED
THE REMAINING STRUCTURE "LIVABLE."


4. (C) GRENIMANN TOLD POLOFF DECEMBER 7 THAT AS MANY AS 18
HOMES TOTAL COULD BE DEMOLISHED IN EAST JERUSALEM BEFORE
DECEMBER 31 AS THE JERUSALEM MUNICIPALITY ATTEMPTS TO USE THE
REMAINDER OF ITS DEMOLITION BUDGET BEFORE YEAR'S END. MEIR
MARGALIT OF THE ISRAELI COMMITTEE AGAINST HOME DEMOLITIONS
TOLD POLOFF DECEMBER 7 THAT THE MUNICIPALITY HAD FOUR MILLION
SHEKELS TO SPEND ON DEMOLITIONS BY YEARS END, WHICH HE SAID
IS ENOUGH MONEY TO DEMOLISH AN ADDITIONAL 14-18 HOMES.

WALLES