SEPARATION BARRIER PREVENTS EFRAT FROM EXPANDING

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001893 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/WATERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2017 TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL IS SUBJECT: SEPARATION BARRIER PREVENTS EFRAT FROM EXPANDING FURTHER Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Poloff visited Efrat settlement, met with Mayor Eli Mizrachi, and viewed the route of the separation barrier north of Bethlehem that cuts off Eitam Hill from Efrat. The Mayor said his main challenge is finding space for outward expansion and he wants to see Eitam included in the settlement. Eitam Hill has been the site of two settler demonstrations in the last few months. End Summary. "Things are getting better" -------------- ¶2. (C) On PolOff's August 21 visit to the Efrat settlement in the Gush Etzion bloc south of Jerusalem, Mayor Eli Mizrachi said his main challenge is finding space for outward expansion. Real estate in Efrat is at a premium, with several homes worth more than $1 million, and a two or three bedroom apartment easily costing USD 500,000. The Mayor said expansion through permanent structures or temporary caravans requires Israeli MOD permits. They were difficult to obtain when Amir Peretz was Defense Minister, he said, but "things are getting better" with Barak at the MOD. Mayor Mizrachi showed PolOff two outposts that Efrat has established. Tamar has 25 caravans and a pre-military training school. Dagan has 20 caravans and provides inexpensive (USD 75/month) housing mostly for newlyweds. Mizrachi said he hopes to turn the two caravans into a neighborhood with 800 permanent structures soon. South of Efrat, there are an additional 20 caravans to accommodate a yeshiva for religious boys. Mizrachi also showed PolOff blueprints for a country club, movie theater, lake, dude ranch, and a "pitch and putt" golf course all inside Efrat. Protesting the barrier -------------- ¶3. (C) Mayor Mizrachi showed PolOff Eitam Hill, east of the outposts and cut off from Efrat by the planned route of the separation barrier. Note: This area of the barrier is still under construction. End Note) Mizrachi claims that Eitam was originally "zoned" for Efrat and would add 40 percent more land and allow the construction of 2500 homes, if it were part of the settlement. Settlers have twice in 2007 demonstrated against the separation barrier route at Eitam. During the second evacuation, religious protesters "prepared" the land for settlement by proclaiming the establishment of a synagogue at the site. ¶4. (U) Background Note: Efrat was established in 1983 and has some 1500 families (10,000 people). Running 7 km along a mountain ridge parallel to Route 60 south of Jerusalem, Efrat has seven neighborhoods each named for the items of the Passover seder plate. Efrat has its own nine member municipal council, separate from Gush Etzion's eleven member regional council. Most Efrat residents commute to work in Jerusalem, an easy 15 minute drive. WALLES