Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08JERUSALEM367
2008-02-28 15:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:  

E-1 UPDATE FOR LATE FEBRUARY 2008

Tags:  KWBG PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL IS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9910
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0367 0591531
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 281531Z FEB 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0731
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000367 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2017
TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL IS
SUBJECT: E-1 UPDATE FOR LATE FEBRUARY 2008

REF: JERUSALEM 00098

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 000367

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2017
TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL IS
SUBJECT: E-1 UPDATE FOR LATE FEBRUARY 2008

REF: JERUSALEM 00098

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


1. (C) Summary. PolOffs observed February 27 that the
police station in the E-1 area between Jerusalem and Maale
Adumim is nearing completion, and a policeman at the site
said the police headquarters will move in the next two weeks.
Infrastructure appears ready to support the police station.
PolOffs observed that traffic patterns at E-1 limit access
between the police station and the West Bank. Cleared areas
noted in previous reporting appear unchanged. Pictures
posted at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/jerusalem/ind ex.cfm
under the link for Political Reporting Attachments. End
Summary.

E-1 POLICE STATION NEARLY READY FOR MOVE IN
--------------


2. (C) At the E-1 police station compound on February 27,
PolOffs observed more than 20 vehicles in the parking lot,
including a police van. Previously, PolOffs have not seen
more than three or four vehicles at once. The northern side
of the police station -- once the site of several
construction trailers -- was vacant. Crews of workers were
fine-tuning the antennae atop the building, and others were
putting finishing touches on the entrance gate. An Israeli
policeman told PolOffs that the police headquarters will move
into the E-1 station from Ras al-Amud in the next two weeks.

ROAD TO E-1 READY FOR TRAFFIC
--------------


3. (C) The road to the police station appears fully
functional, although cosmetic additions are on-going,
including fencing and streetlights. The bridge connecting
E-1 to Ma'ale Adumim noted in reftel has been closed to
traffic by a guard rail. The entrance to E-1 from Route 1
was blocked by a construction crew with a police guard when
PolOffs arrived, but the crew allowed PolOffs to enter.

TRAFFIC PATTERNS ISOLATE E-1 FROM THE WEST BANK
-------------- --


4. (C) PolOffs observed that there is currently no entrance
to E-1 from the eastbound highway, and traffic from Jerusalem
must drive past E-1 to a turn-around point at Mishor Adumim,
then return on the westbound road to the E-1 entrance.
Traffic leaving E-1 must drive westbound toward Jerusalem or
into Ma'ale Adumim before turning around to go east. The
only West Bank areas easily accessible to the police station
are the Palestinian towns of al-'Azariya and Abu Dis, near
Ma'ale Adumim.

CLEARED AREAS REMAIN, UNCHANGED
--------------


5. (C) The large, cleared area northwest of the police
station noted reftel appears largely unchanged since PolOffs'
January 17 visit. The cleared area immediately north of the
police station appears to be a dumping ground for excavated
dirt from the construction.

COMMENT
--------------


6. (C) The E-1 police station is ready for occupancy, and
the move from the Ras al-Amud police station appears
imminent. The associated hand over of the Ras al-Amud
facility to Israeli developers will likely prompt widespread
media coverage and a negative Palestinians reaction. End
Comment.


WALLES