KHIRBET AL-AQABAH DEVELOPING MASTER PLAN TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001174

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM KWBG PBTS IS
SUBJECT: KHIRBET AL-AQABAH DEVELOPING MASTER PLAN TO
FORESTALL DEMOLITION ORDERS

REF: A. JERUSALEM 650

B. JERUSALEM 765

C. 2003 JERUSALEM 3858

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. Al-Aqabah Mayor Haj Sami Sadiq and Tubas
Governor Sami Musallam told POLOFF June 24 that al-Aqabah
residents intend to file a master plan with the Israeli Civil
Administration to counter a GOI-proposed plan they say leaves
18 structures with demolition orders outside the village's
permitted boundaries (ref A). NGOs assisting the area C
village told POLOFF that filing the master plan has been
delayed due to complicated and expensive administrative and
technical requirements imposed by the Civil Administration,
but should be completed within a week. Residents fear
demolitions could be carried out before the master plan
application is approved. End summary.

Area C Village Faces 35 Demolition Orders
--------------


2. (C) Mayor Haj Sami Sadiq and Tubas Governor Sami Musallam
told POLOFF June 24 that al-Aqabah residents intend to file a
master plan with the Israeli Civil Administration to counter
a GOI-proposed plan that they say leaves 18 structures with
demolition orders outside the village's permitted boundaries.
(Note: the 18 structures are among a total of 35 structures
in the village that have pending demolition orders. End
note.) Representatives of the U.S. NGO Rebuilding Alliance,
which advocates on behalf of al-Aqabah, told POLOFF that the
Israeli High Court observed in a decision (ref B) that the
Civil Administration is "not planning to demolish (village
structures) for the time being." However, Israeli NGO Bimkom
told POLOFF that the court's observation is not legally
binding and the GOI can legally demolish the structures at
any time.

Lawyers, NGOs Helping Village Leaders,
Residents File a Master Plan
--------------


3. (C) The Jerusalem Legal Aid Center (JLAC),which
represents the village, told POLOFF June 30 that the delay in
filing the proposed master plan is because of numerous
administrative and technical requirements for the filing
master plans with the Civil Administration. JLAC attorney
Bassam Karajeh said regulatory requirements "require the
budget of a state, not a village council." He cited
requirements for statistical abstracts and detailed maps and
noted that many requirements (such as regulations on
uniformity of exterior appearance) are more appropriate for
large cities than small villages. He said JLAC is working
with a private contractor to meet the requirements and hopes
to file o/a the week of July 7.


4. (C) Mayor Sadiq urged USG intervention with the GOI to
lift the demolition orders, crediting the U.S. with saving 11
structures from similar demolition orders in November, 2003
(ref C). He estimated that 200 residents would be made
homeless if the demolition orders are implemented.
WALLES