ABU DIS: MAYOR ASK FOR USG HELP ON THE ROUTE OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001840

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/WATERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2017
TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER IS KDEM
SUBJECT: ABU DIS: MAYOR ASK FOR USG HELP ON THE ROUTE OF
THE SEPARATION BARRIER

REF: JERUSALEM 01380

Classified By: Acting Principal Officer Thomas Duffy, Reasons 1.4 (b) a
nd (d).


1. (C) Summary: In separate August 27 and 28 meetings, the
Mayor of Abu Dis, Ibrahim Jaffal, and Abu Dis's lawyer,
Shlomo Lecker, requested USG assistance to encourage Israel
to reconsider the route of the separation barrier around the
settlement of Ma'ale Adumim. This is part of the barrier is
intended to connect Ma'ale Adumim, Almon, Nofeir Prat, Kfar
Adumim and Allon settlements and the E-1 area to East
Jerusalem. Jaffal and Lecker said the planned route cuts the
town of Abu Dis from its land and divides the West Bank into
northern and southern segments. Lecker said Israeli MoD
Barak must respond to the Israeli High Court by September 21
and expressed confidence that the barrier could be
constructed in a way that gave Palestinians access to their
land while ensuring the security of Israeli settlements.

PALESTINIAN TOWN THREATENED
BY ROUTE OF BARRIER
--------------


2. (C) Abu Dis Mayor Ibrahim Jaffal told PolOff on August 27
that he expects Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak to decide
the route of the separation barrier around Abu Dis in the
coming two weeks. Jaffal requested USG assistance to
persuade Barak to select a route that minimizes the amount of
land Abu Dis will lose to the nearby Israeli settlement of
Ma'ale Adumim. (Note: Abu Dis is immediately east of
Jerusalem and west of Ma'ale Adumim. End note.)


3. (C) Jaffal expressed two principal concerns with the
planned route of the barrier. First, it will separate Abu
Dis from roughly 8000 dunums of the city's vacant land (four
dunums equal approximately one acre). Jaffal said Abu Dis
has 15,000 permanent residents and 8000 university students
living on 4000 dunums of land. The barrier will hem Abu Dis
in on the east, leaving the town no room for growth,
according to Jaffal. (Note: Abu Dis is bounded by the
barrier to the west, by the town of al-Sawahira al-Sharqiya
to the south, and by the town of 'Azariya to the north of Abu
Dis. End note.)


4. (C) Second, Jaffal said, the planned route of the wall
cuts more than 20 kilometers into the West Bank, dividing the
West Bank into northern and southern areas. Jaffal argued
that this division will inhibit development of a viable
Palestinian state.

ISRAELI LAWYER DEFENDS ABU DIS
--------------


5. (C) Jerusalem attorney Shlomo Lecker, who represents Abu
Dis, told PolOff August 28 that the High Court of Justice
gave Barak until 21 September to review the planned route of
the barrier and that he expects Barak to defend the current
route. He encouraged the USG to address Barak directly with
questions about the route of the barrier, Ma'ale Adumim's
security needs, and Abu Dis's humanitarian needs.


6. (C) According to Lecker, Abu Dis residents scaled back
their petition to the High Court of Justice. While they
originally argued to prevent construction of the barrier,
they now argue for an alternate route, according to Lecker
and Mayor Jaffal. They said residents would accept the route
proposed by the Council for Peace and Security (CPS),which
extends 38, vice 24, kilometers and leaves thousands of
dunums of land outside the Ma'ale Adumim bloc and accessible
to Palestinians.


7. (C) Lecker said during the hearings, Danny Tirza, who
planned the route of the barrier, said the CPS proposed route
would adequately protect Ma'ale Adumim. Lecker added that
there were no attacks in this area during the recent
Intifada. He noted that the now-vacant settlement of Kedar
and the small settlement of New Kedar are included with
Ma'ale Adumim inside the planned route of the barrier.
Changes to the route of the barrier would leave these areas
on the Palestinian side, Lecker said, but adequate
arrangements could be made for their security.
DUFFY