ISRAEL'S RESPONSE TO BRITISH NOTE VERBALE ON

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 003482 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR GOLDBERGER/SHAMPAINE/ROSENSTOCK/PECCIA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/WATERS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL IS KPAL KWBG SUBJECT: ISRAEL'S RESPONSE TO BRITISH NOTE VERBALE ON SHEPHERD'S HOTEL AND MUFTI'S GROVE REF: A. TEL AVIV 03088 ¶B. SECSTATE 141005 ¶1. (SBU) Below is the text of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs' response to the British Embassy's October 19 Note Verbale regarding Shepherd's Hotel and the Mufti's Grove site in East Jerusalem. The MFA's response was provided to Ambassador Jones by the British Ambassador on November 20. ¶2. (SBU) (Begin Text) MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS JERUSALEM NOTE The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel presents its compliments to Her Majesty's Embassy and has the honour to refer to its Note Verbale, No. 106/2007 dated 19 October 2007 concerning the Shepherd's Hotel. The Ministry reiterates its understanding that no planning application regarding the construction of a new complex on the site has been submitted. All such applications are publicly available and, as noted in the Ministry's response to the British Non-Paper on this matter dated 1 May 2007, any such application would be examined in accordance with the provisions of Israeli Law. As regard the Mufti's Grove site, we understand from the Israel Lands Authority that the declaration issued in relation to this site was not a new procedure, but in fact the continuation of a proceeding which has been in process for several decades. We are also informed that this site has been and remains designated as public open space. The site is currently the subject of a petition to the Supreme Court sitting as the High Court of Justice HCJ 6716/07. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs avails itself of this opportunity to renew to Her Britannic Majesty's Embassy the assurances of its highest consideration. Jerusalem, 28 October 2007 (End Text) ********************************************* ******************** Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. ********************************************* ******************** JONES