CONSTRUCTION ON BARRIER AND POLICE STATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000649

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2017
TAGS: PREL KWBG PBTS KHUM KPAL IS
SUBJECT: CONSTRUCTION ON BARRIER AND POLICE STATION
CONTINUE AT E-1

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: PolOff observed April 6 that construction is
active and ongoing on two sections of the separation barrier
around the Ma,ale Adumim/E-1 settlement bloc. In addition,
grading continues at the E-1 police station. (Note: Photos of
the barrier construction and of E-1 sent by email to NEA and
AmEmbassy Tel Aviv. End Note.) End Summary.


2. (C) Poloff observed active and ongoing construction April
6 on two segments of the separation barrier near the Hizma
and Azariyeh checkpoints. These portions of the barrier, if
completed as currently planned, will form part of a circle
around the Ma,ale Adumim/E-1 settlement bloc, which is east
of Jerusalem. Near the Hizma checkpoint, concrete wall is
being erected west of the original fencing, which had been
placed along the planned route of the barrier. The new
section being constructed will add an additional triangle of
land east of Anata to the "Israeli" side of the barrier.
Substantial clearing of the route of the separation barrier
has occurred south of Ma,ale Adumim, and concrete wall is
being placed along that route beginning at the Azariyeh
checkpoint.


3. (C) Infrastructure work and grading of the area adjacent
to the Israeli police headquarters continues in the E-1 area
between Ma'ale Adumim and Jerusalem. Poloff observed on March
29 continued grading in two areas adjacent to the large
graded area southwest of the police station first observed
March 8. The large water pipes and concrete slabs that were
staged in one of the new graded areas have been moved. The
concrete slabs are being used to continue work on a retaining
wall. Reinforcing the ground of the other graded area with
rebar continues.


4. (C) An Israeli foreman at the site during the March 29
visit refused to allow Poloff inside the construction fence
that surrounds the two police station buildings, but did not
try to force poloff to leave the general area. Danny
Seidemann, founder of the Israeli human rights NGO Ir Amim,
told poloff April 4 that he believes the scale of the
construction at the police station exceeds the GoI
construction permit.


5. (C) Comment: Parts of the separation barrier in this area
are termed &temporary8 by the GoI, and the High Court of
Justice has yet to rule on the final route of the barrier in
this area. However, the active construction work on the
separation barrier at the northern and southern entrances to
Jerusalem suggests the GOI plans to move ahead with barrier
construction to encircle the Ma,ale Adumim/E-1 bloc.

WALLES