AZARIYAH: POSSIBLE LAND CONFISCATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000815 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2017 TAGS: PREL KWBG PBTS KHUM KPAL IS SUBJECT: AZARIYAH: POSSIBLE LAND CONFISCATION Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Azariyah Mayor Isam Far'un told PolChief on April 23 that the route of the separation barrier will divide the town, east of Jerusalem, from 2000 dunums (about 510 acres) of its municipal land. Of this land, 800 dunums (205 acres) is a hill that the municipality zoned for commercial growth and had hoped to use to build a hospital, since the separation barrier has made it difficult to reach hospitals in Jerusalem. He said the town unsuccessfully appealed the route of the barrier to retain the full 2000 dunums and is now submitting a new appeal in the Israeli courts related only to the 800 dunums. The town's attorney separately told PolOff May 1 that he is not optimistic about the case. The Mayor also criticized GOI plans to close the town's access to Highway 1 (Jerusalem to the Dead Sea),which includes seizing additional land for a separate Palestinian only road to Jericho. End Summary. Mayor: Land Expropriations -------------- ¶2. (C) Azariyah Mayor Isam Far'un told PolChief on April 23 that the planned route of the separation barrier will separate Azariyah from 2,000 dunums (510 acres) of town land. That includes an 800 dunum (200 acre) hill (nine acres of which King Hussein donated to the Latin Patriarchate) that is the only remaining land for the town's natural growth. Far'un said the town hoped to build a hospital on the hill, since the separation barrier has made it difficult to reach Jerusalem hospitals. Of the 11,179 dunums (about 2,840 acres) of land belonging to the town before 1967, he noted that over half was seized for Ma'ale Adumim settlement and, more recently, construction of the separation barrier. (Note: map emailed to NEA-IPA. End Note) ¶3. (C) The Mayor said the GOI also plans to confiscate some Azariyah land to construct a highway for Palestinian travel between Azariyah and Jericho. Once that highway is completed, he believes that the GOI will close the town's access to Highway 1 (from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea). Far'un expressed concern that these plans will turn Azariyah into "a dead corner" further separated from Jerusalem. Lawyer: Appealing Route of the Barrier (Again) -------------- - ¶4. (C) Walid Zahalqa, an attorney for Azariyah, told Poloff May 1 that the Israeli court at Bet El has not reached a decision on the town's request to re-route the separation barrier so Azariyah retains the 800 dunums of hill. Azariyah previously appealed to the Israeli courts to reroute the barrier to retain the full 2,000 dunums, but lost that case, which went all the way to the Israeli Supreme Court. Zahalqa said the town presented a strong case for the 800 dunums to Bet El, including testimony from an Israeli engineer who said the town needs the hill to sustain itself. However, Zahalqa said he is not optimistic about winning the case and is already preparing to appeal to the Israeli High Court of Justice. WALLES