Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07JERUSALEM93
2007-01-18 15:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:  

NEW HAR HOMA HOUSING UNITS PART OF "VERY OLD PLAN"

Tags:  PREL KWBG PBTS KHUM KPAL IS 
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VZCZCXRO1600
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0093 0181505
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 181505Z JAN 07
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6378
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000093 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2027
TAGS: PREL KWBG PBTS KHUM KPAL IS
SUBJECT: NEW HAR HOMA HOUSING UNITS PART OF "VERY OLD PLAN"

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000093

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2027
TAGS: PREL KWBG PBTS KHUM KPAL IS
SUBJECT: NEW HAR HOMA HOUSING UNITS PART OF "VERY OLD PLAN"

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


1. (C) Summary: The construction of 1000 new housing units
in Har Homa southeast of Jerusalem, announced January 8, are
part of an existing plan and are not the result of the
cancellation of the "Safdie plan" to build 20,000 housing
units in the hills west of Jerusalem, according to both the
Foreign Relations Coordinator for the Jerusalem Mayor's
office and the head of Israeli human rights NGO Ir Amim. End
summary.


2. (C) Israeli newspapers announced January 9 plans by the
Jerusalem Municipality to build an additional 1000 housing
units in Har Homa. Israeli newspaper Yediot Ha'aharonot
quoted a spokesman for Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski as
saying the planned construction was an alternative to the
"Safdie plan." (Note: The "Safdie plan" would have included
the construction of 20,000 housing units in the hills west of
Jerusalem, but environmental activists said the construction
would cause irreparable environmental damage, and right-wing
activists suggested that westward expansion was to avoid
construction in E-1. Lupolianski's office officially
suspended the "Safdie plan" in late December 2006. End note).
Michal Sharvit, Foreign Relations Coordinator for the Mayor's
office, however, told poloff January 17 that the two plans
are not related. She said expansion of Har Homa is part of a
"very old plan," and that the Municipality could not have
come up with an alternative to the "Safdie plan" this
quickly. Sharvit said that there is no decision on an
alternative to the "Safdie plan," but the Mayor's office is
exploring possibilities within the city center for additional
construction.


3. (C) Danny Seidemann, founder of the Israeli human rights
NGO Ir Amim, confirmed that the planned construction at Har
Homa is far older than the decision to cancel the "Safdie
plan." Seidemann told poloff January 12 that the "master
plan" for Har Homa, allowing for the construction of 6500
residential units, was approved in 1997. The Master Plan
called for the building of Har Homa in three stages, Har Homa
A, B and C, each with its own specific plan. Har Homa A
consisted of a plan for 2400 units, most of which have been
completed and are occupied. Har Homa B consisted of 2000
units, and these units have been marketed and construction of
infrastructure has begun. According to Seidemann, the 1000
units announced January 8 are the first installment of the
remaining 2100 units that make up Har Homa C, and these units
will be constructed to the southeast of the existing units.


WALLES