HOME DEMOLITIONS CONTINUE IN EAST JERUSALEM

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000188 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2017 TAGS: PREL KWBG PBTS KHUM KPAL IS SUBJECT: HOME DEMOLITIONS CONTINUE IN EAST JERUSALEM Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) Summary. There have been fifteen demolitions of Palestinian-owned homes in East Jerusalem since the beginning of the year, including three on January 30. The Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions (ICAHD) held a protest vigil later on January 30 at Jerusalem City Hall. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Three East Jerusalem homes were demolished January 30, one each in Issawiyah, A-Tur and Ras a-Baba in Azaria. Fifteen Palestinian-owned homes have been demolished since the year began. Former city councilman and ICAHD activist Meir Margolit told poloff January 30 that a vigil was held at Jerusalem City Hall to protest the demolitions, and that approximately 20 activists delivered rubble from today's demolitions as part of the protest. ¶3. (C) Margolit told poloff on January 21 that homes in the Jerusalem neighborhoods of Abu-Tor, A-Tur and Ras El-Amud were demolished during the week of January 14, displacing 24 people. He noted that demolition of a second A-Tur home was delayed when the owner gave a non-refundable 60,000 NIS (approximately USD 15,000) deposit to request additional judicial inquiry before demolition. ¶4. (C) Margolit also told poloff January 21 that Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Yehoshua Pollack announced January 19 a freeze on all home demolition activity until he convenes a special meeting of the planning and construction committee to discuss "all the sensitive issues relating to home demolitions." Margolit said Pollack, a member of the Haredi community, called the freeze, to protect illegal homes and structures built in the Haredi neighborhoods, not to assist Palestinians, who most commonly own unpermitted homes demolished by the municipality. ICAHD coordinator Angela Godfrey-Goldstein added that "just two days" after the proposed "freeze," the municipality demolished a Palestinian apartment building with eight apartments. WALLES