Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07JERUSALEM489
2007-03-13 14:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:  

NEW WAQF DIRECTOR, BUT NO POLICY CHANGE OVER

Tags:  PREL KWBG PBTS KHUM KPAL IS 
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VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJMA #0489 0721428
ZNY CCCCC ZZH ZUI RUEWMCE0637 0721420
P 131428Z MAR 07
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000489 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2017
TAGS: PREL KWBG PBTS KHUM KPAL IS
SUBJECT: NEW WAQF DIRECTOR, BUT NO POLICY CHANGE OVER
MUGHRABI GATE RAMP

REF: A. JERUSALEM 443

B. JERUSALEM 291

CLASSIFIED BY: ACTING PRINCIPAL OFFICER THOMAS M. DUFFY, PER REASONS
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000489

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2017
TAGS: PREL KWBG PBTS KHUM KPAL IS
SUBJECT: NEW WAQF DIRECTOR, BUT NO POLICY CHANGE OVER
MUGHRABI GATE RAMP

REF: A. JERUSALEM 443

B. JERUSALEM 291

CLASSIFIED BY: ACTING PRINCIPAL OFFICER THOMAS M. DUFFY, PER REASONS 1.
4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: THE NEW DIRECTOR OF THE WAQF SAID MARCH 13
THAT ISLAMIC AUTHORITY WILL CONTINUE TO OPPOSE EXCAVATIONS AT
THE MUGHRABI GATE RAMP AND THE EVENTUAL CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW
RAMP THERE. HE SAID THAT LIKE HIS PREDECESSOR, NEITHER HE NOR
ANY WAQF OFFICIAL WILL MEET WITH JERUSALEM'S MAYOR OR ANY GOI
OFFICIAL, BELIEVING THAT ANY SUCH MEETING WOULD SIGNAL WAQF
ACQUIESCENCE WITH THE GOIS PLAN. HE ALSO SAID HE WILL NOT
PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS ABOUT A PERMIT FOR THE NEW
RAMP NOR SEND AN OFFICIAL TO OVERSEE THE EXCAVATIONS, FOR
SIMILAR REASONS. HE EXPRESSED CONCERNS THAT VIOLENCE COULD
ERUPT AGAIN IF THE EXCAVATIONS ARE NOT HALTED. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) NEWLY-APPOINTED WAQF DIRECTOR AZAM AL-KHATIB TOLD
POLOFF MARCH 13 THAT, WHILE THE JORDANIAN GOVERNMENT'S
DECISION TO RETIRE FORMER WAQF DIRECTOR ADNAN HUSSEINI CAME
AS A SURPRISE TO HIM, THE WAQF'S STANCE ON THE EXCAVATIONS AT
THE MUGHRABI GATE HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE HE REPLACED HUSSEINI
MARCH 2. AL-KHATIB HAS WORKED AT THE WAQF FOR 33 YEARS AND
SAID THE WAQF CONTINUES TO OPPOSE ALL EXCAVATIONS AND
CONSTRUCTION PLANS, WHICH HE SAID THREATENS THE SITE'S
ISLAMIC IDENTITY AND THREATENS TO ALLOW "RADICAL SETTLERS"
ACCESS TO THE HARAM A-SHARIF/TEMPLE MOUNT. HE CALLED FOR A
COMPLETE HALT TO EXCAVATIONS AND CONSTRUCTION PLANS.


3. (C) AL-KHATIB SAID THE WAQF REMAINS UNWILLING TO MEET WITH
JERUSALEM MAYOR URI LUPOLIANSKI, WHO TABLED PLANS FEBRUARY 11
FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW MUGHRABI GATE RAMP PENDING
PUBLIC PERMIT HEARINGS (REFTEL B). AL-KHATIB SAID NO WAQF
OFFICIAL WILL PARTICIPATE IN THESE HEARINGS, NOR WILL ANY
OBSERVE THE EXCAVATIONS, BECAUSE DOING SO WOULD IMPLY WAQF
ACQUIESCENCE TO THE UNDERTAKING. HE SAID THE "TIME FOR TALK"
PASSED, ADDING THAT HUSSEINI HAD SENT SEVEN LETTERS TO
LUPOLIANSKI ABOUT THE ISSUE BEFORE EXCAVATIONS BEGAN AND
RECEIVED NO RESPONSE, THOUGH LUPOLIANSKI USED THE LETTERS TO
SUGGEST THE EXCAVATIONS HAD BEEN COORDINATED WITH THE WAQF.


4. (C) DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC ARCHAEOLOGY AT
THE WAQF YUSUF NATSHEH TOLD POLOFF MARCH 13 THAT THE ISRAELIS
ARE USING ARCHAEOLOGY FOR POLITICAL OBJECTIVES, WHICH
AL-KHATIB REFERRED TO AS THE "ISRAELIZATION OF THE CITY OF
JERUSALEM." NATSHEH SAID THE MESSAGE THE GOI IS SENDING IS
THAT THE CITY'S JEWISH PAST IS VALUED WHILE THE ISLAMIC PAST
IS NOT. AL-KHATIB SAID HE WORRIES SUCH ATTITUDES THREATEN TO
RENEW VIOLENT PROTESTS, WHICH HAVE TAPERED OFF. HE SAID
CONTINUED WORK AT THE SITE COULD RE-IGNITE TENSIONS, WHICH HE
CALLED "EMBERS UNDER ASHES."


5. (C) (COMMENT: WHILE SOURCES AMONG THE WAQF STAFF TOLD
POLOFF MARCH 13 THAT THEY BELIEVE HUSSEINI WAS RETIRED
BECAUSE HE WAS TOO AGGRESSIVE WITH THE GOI REGARDING THE
MUGHRABI GATE RAMP ISSUE, AL-KHATIB MAY IN FACT BE EVEN MORE
RIGID THAN HUSSEINI. WHILE HUSSEINI EXPRESSED A WILLINGNESS
TO SEND AN OBSERVER TO THE EXCAVATIONS, AL-KHATIB IS
UNWILLING TO COOPERATE WITH ISRAELI OFFICIALS ON ANY ASPECT
OF THE EXCAVATIONS AND CONSTRUCTION UNTIL THE EXCAVATIONS ARE
COMPLETELY HALTED. END COMMENT.)

DUFFY