UPDATE ON WORK AT E-1

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000460

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/08/2017
TAGS: PREL KWBG PBTS KHUM KPAL IS
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON WORK AT E-1

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


1. (C) INFRASTRUCTURE WORK AND GRADING OF THE AREA ADJACENT
TO THE ISRAELI POLICE HEADQUARTERS IS CONTINUING IN THE E-1
AREA BETWEEN MA'ALE ADUMIM AND JERUSALEM. POLOFF OBSERVED ON
MARCH 8 TWO ADDITIONAL GRADED AREAS ADJACENT TO THE LARGE
GRADED AREA SOUTHWEST OF THE POLICE STATION. (NOTE: THE LARGE
GRADED AREA IS THE LOCATION THAT A PALESTINIAN FOREMAN SAID
ON DECEMBER 6 WILL BE THE SITE OF A POSSIBLE 600-UNIT HOUSING
COMPLEX, THOUGH ISRAELI HUMAN RIGHTS NGO IR AMIM FOUNDER
DANNY SEIDEMAN SAID FEBRUARY 8 THAT THE AREA IS LIKELY NOT
LARGE ENOUGH FOR SUCH A COMPLEX. END NOTE.) ONE OF THE NEW
GRADED AREAS IS BEING USED AS A STAGING AREA FOR LARGE WATER
PIPES AND CONCRETE SLABS. THE GROUND OF THE OTHER GRADED AREA
IS BEING REINFORCED WITH REBAR AND CONCRETE SLABS ARE BEING
USED TO CREATE A RETAINING WALL. (NOTE: PHOTOS OF E-1 SENT BY
EMAIL TO NEA AND AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV. END NOTE.)


2. (C) IN ADDITION TO THE NEW GRADING SINCE POLOFF'S
FEBRUARY 8 VISIT, ROAD WIDENING CONTINUES AND THERE ARE NOW
SEVERAL ROADS LEADING INTO AND AROUND THE SITE. THE ROAD
ABOVE THE SOUTHWESTERN GRADED AREA IS NOW CONNECTED TO AN
OLDER ROAD WHICH CONTINUES AROUND THE BACK SIDE OF THAT HILL
DOWN TO HIGHWAY 1.

WALLES