E-1 MOVE APPEARS IMMINENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000722 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2018 TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL IS SUBJECT: E-1 MOVE APPEARS IMMINENT REF: A. TEL AVIV 00837 ¶B. JERUSALEM 00542 ¶C. JERUSALEM 00090 Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Ha'aretz reported April 28 that Israeli police will soon complete the move from Ras al-Amud to the newly built police station in the E-1 area between Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim. The move will allow the right-wing Israeli group Ateret Cohanim to take over the former police property and begin construction of 110 new residential units in Ras al-Amud. Palestinian interlocutors told PolOff that the decision to expand the Jewish neighborhood in Ras al-Amud will impede permanent status negotiations. End Summary. POLICE MOVING TO E-1, VACATING RAS AL-AMUD -------------- ¶2. (U) Ha'aretz newspaper reported April 28 that Israeli police will finish moving into the new police station in E-1 "in the coming days." The move will allow the right-wing Israeli group Ateret Cohanim to take over the former police buildings in the Ras al-Amud neighborhood. The new neighborhood will be called Ma'ale David, and according to building plans, it will be linked to the Ma'ale Zeitim settlement across the street (ref C). Both complexes are located in the predominantly Arab neighborhood of Ras al-Amud, overlooking Jerusalem's Old City. According to Ha'aretz, these neighborhoods will house around 250 Jewish families in an area with 14,000 Arab residents. JERUSALEM LAWYER WANTS ATTORNEY GENERAL INVESTIGATION TO CONFIRM LEGALITY -------------- ¶3. (C) During PolOff's April 22 visit to E-1 and Ras al-Amud, Jerusalem attorney Danny Seidemann said existing agreements require the police to vacate the Ras al-Amud compound within 60 days after the E-1 station is completed. He said the relevant agreements are illegal and the Attorney General should investigate before the deal proceeds. Seidemann speculated that Jewish families will move into the vacated buildings immediately, then proceed with construction of the 110 new units. He said the area will require a new town plan before construction can begin and construction might require the demolition of existing structures on the compound. SETTLER SPOKESMAN SAYS JEWISH RESIDENTS STILL YEARS AWAY -------------- ¶4. (C) Daniel Luria, a spokesman for the settler organization Ateret Cohanim, told PolOff April 28 that it will take several years for appropriate permits and completion of construction. He said all existing structures will be razed and Jewish residents will not move into Ma'ale David until after construction of the new residences is complete. PALESTINIANS SAY SETTLEMENT IN RAS AL-AMUD WILL SCUTTLE NEGOTIATIONS -------------- ¶5. (C) Khalil Tufakji, Head of the Mapping and GIS Department of the Arab Studies Society (formerly part of Orient House) told PolOff April 28 that the expanded Jewish neighborhood in Ras al-Amud appears designed to prevent a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem and undermines on-going permanent status negotiations. He said the GoI should prevent settlers from occupying the property in Ras al-Amud, since once they move in, the GoI will lack the political will to remove them. POLICE STATION APPEARS READY FOR OCCUPANTS -------------- ¶6. (C) During the April 22 visit to E-1, PolOff observed finishing touches to the police compound, such as lines painted on the road and traffic signs. Security guards at the site refused to reveal the date the police would move in, but the building appeared ready for occupancy. WALLES