JERUSALEM MUNICIPALITY DEMOLISHES AMCIT'S EAST

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000636

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 CASC
SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MUNICIPALITY DEMOLISHES AMCIT'S EAST
JERUSALEM HOME

REF: JERUSALEM 348

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


1. (C) The Jerusalem Municipality demolished the home of
AmCit Khalid Shoman in East Jerusalem's Beit Hanina
neighborhood on April 9 after the Israeli High Court of
Justice (HCJ) rejected Shoman's appeal in late February.
Shoman's home was built in 2002 without a permit. Shoman
inhabited the home with his wife and four children from 2002
to 2008, while he attempted to obtain a retroactive permit
from the Municipality.


2. (C) Elad Halevy, Deputy Political Advisor to Jerusalem
Mayor Lupolianski, told PolOff in early April that the
Municipality would act based on the HCJ's ruling. Shoman's
lawyer, Sami Ershied told PolOff April 11 that Mayor
Lupolianski had the authority to stop this demolition despite
the HCJ decision because Shoman was not formally convicted of
building without a permit. As a goodwill gesture, Shoman
signed an affidavit on his own initiative in late March
pledging to pay fines, pursue the case, and obtain a permit
for his home.


3. (C) Meir Margalit, Coordinator for the Israeli Committee
Against House Demolitions (ICAHD),told PolOff in late March
that Shoman's home was on the proposed route of the Eastern
Ring Road, which is why it had attracted the Municipality'
attention.

WALLES