DISTRICT COMMITTEE APPROVES 1783 NEW RESIDENTIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001234 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2018 TAGS: KWBG PBTS IS PGOV SUBJECT: DISTRICT COMMITTEE APPROVES 1783 NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS IN EAST JERUSALEM REF: A. GMP20080709736006 ¶B. TEL AVIV 01247 ¶C. JERUSALEM 01027 ¶D. JERUSALEM 00928 ¶E. JERUSALEM 00566 ¶F. JERUSALEM 00304 ¶G. JERUSALEM 00303 ¶H. TEL AVIV 00024 Classified By: Acting Principal Officer Jessica Lapenn, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Jerusalem attorney Nasrat Dakwar told PolOff July 9 that the Jerusalem Regional Planning Committee approved 1783 new residential units in East Jerusalem on July ¶8. The new units -- 983 in Har Homa and 800 in Pisgat Ze'ev -- expand the Israeli built-up area in East Jerusalem, according to Jerusalem attorney Danny Seidemann. This announcement brings the post-Annapolis total of housing units deposited for public review, approved, or tendered in the West Bank and East Jerusalem to 9531. PA Presidential Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaynah condemned the announcement, saying that it undermines efforts between Palestinians and Israelis to reach an agreement. PLO Secretary General Yasser Abed Rabbo said publicly that the PA is considering suspending contact with the GoI unless settlement expansion ceases. End Summary. DISTRICT APPROVAL FOR 1783 NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS STEPS CLOSER TO CONSTRUCTION -------------- ¶2. (C) Nasrat Dakwar, an attorney at the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) in Jerusalem, told PolOff July 9 that the Jerusalem Regional Planning Committee on July 8 approved for public review a total of 1783 residential units in the East Jerusalem neighborhoods of Har Homa (983 units) and Pisgat Ze'ev (800 units). Jerusalem Municipality contacts said they do not know when the third step of the approval process, the 60-day period of public review, will begin. This announcement brings the post-Annapolis total of housing units deposited for public review, approved, or tendered in the West Bank and East Jerusalem to 9531. (Note: Ref G details the construction approval process in Jerusalem. Public review is the stage before final approval, after which tenders may be issued and construction may begin. This decision does not constitute final approval, but it is a significant step toward construction. End note.) HAR HOMA AND PISGAT ZE'EV: MOVING CLOSER TO PALESTINIAN NEIGHBORHOODS -------------- ¶3. (C) Jerusalem attorney Danny Seidemann told PolOff that the 983 new units in Har Homa will be contiguous with other planned construction there and will extend the built-up area southeast toward Bayt Sahur. The new construction, known as Har Homa C, was approved by the Jerusalem Local Planning Committee in January (Ref F). ¶4. (C) Seidemann told PolOff that the 800 new units in Pisgat Ze'ev will extend the existing built-up area west toward Bayt Hanina. The new construction was approved by the Jerusalem Local Planning Committee in March (see Ref E). In both Har Homa and Pisgat Ze'ev, the new construction narrows the gap between Israeli and Palestinian areas. (Note: The numbers 983 and 800 reflect the most recent number of planned residential units. The number of planned units fluctuates prior to public review, and previous reporting listed Har Homa C as 975 units and Pisgat Ze'ev as 600 units. End note.) PALESTINIANS CONDEMN GROWTH OF ISRAELI NEIGHBORHOODS IN EAST JERUSALEM -------------- ¶5. (C) President Abbas's spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaynah publicly condemned the new construction, saying it undermines confidence in the political process. PLO Secretary General Yasser Abed Rabbo said in local press the Palestinian leadership will no longer tolerate the growth of Israeli settlements and is considering a halt to negotiations unless the GoI demonstrates its commitment by ceasing settlement construction. LAPENN