E-1 AND RAS AL-AMUD UPDATE FROM 9 MAY

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000775 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 AND RAS AL-AMUD UPDATE FROM 9 MAY REF: A. TEL AVIV 01013 ¶B. JERUSALEM 00756 ¶C. JERUSALEM 00722 Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. During a May 9 visit, PolOffs observed that the move to the E-1 police station is nearly complete and the new station appears fully functional. A security guard at the Ras al-Amud property told PolOffs that university students plan to use the former police station as a dormitory once the police leave. Sources said the Mayor of Ma'ale Adumim hosted prayer services and a reception at his protest caravan in E-1, and PolOffs observed banners welcoming visitors to the "neighborhood of Mevasseret Adumim" -- the settlers' name for E-1. (Note: Photos of the protest caravan and signs are available on the Consulate General's classified website at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/jerusalem/ind ex.cfm under the link for Political Reporting Attachments. End note.) End Summary. MA'ALE ADUMIM MAKING CLAIM TO E-1; E-1 POLICE STATION FULLY OPERATIONAL -------------- ¶2. (C) During a May 9 visit, PolOffs saw banners hung by Ma'ale Adumim Municipality welcoming visitors to the neighborhood of Mevasseret Adumim, the settlers' name for E-1. Spokesman for the E-1 police station Danny Poleg said the E-1 station was fully functional and the move nearly complete. He said a new public bus will run from Jerusalem through Ma'ale Adumim to E-1 to serve Jerusalemites who need to conduct business at the police offices. ¶3. (C) PolOffs observed Ma'ale Adumim Mayor Benny Kashriel's protest caravan at the scenic overlook in E-1, but did not see the Mayor (ref B). Press reported the caravan will be removed May 12. Poleg told PolOffs May 9 that the police have no connection to Kashriel's caravan. He said the Mayor hosted roughly 50 people at the caravan for Israeli Independence Day May 8. ¶4. (C) Israeli National Police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld told Embassy POLOFF May 9 that the E-1 police station will open officially in one month, but is already in use and the move is "going as scheduled." He said the move to E-1 would enable to police station -- which is headquarters for the West Bank police -- to better coordinate its duties in the area. Both Rosenfeld and Poleg said they did not know what will become of the Ras al-Amud compound once the police have left. ATERET COHANIM MAINTAINING ITS DISTANCE -------------- ¶5. (C) Daniel Luria, a spokesman for the settler organization Ateret Cohanim, told POLOFF May 9 that he "could not discuss Ateret Cohanim's financing of, or involvement in, the Ras al-Amud property." He confirmed that the land belongs to the Jewish Bukharian Community (ref A). Previously he told POLOFF that Jewish residents at the site were years away (ref C). (Note: Luria said he attended prayer services with Benny Kashriel at his caravan in E-1. End Note) RAS AL-AMUD AND MA'ALE ZEITIM: AWAITING REMOVAL OF FINAL POLICE OFFICE -------------- ¶6. (C) A security guard at the Ras al-Amud police station told PolOffs May 9 that religious Jewish students from Hebrew University visited the compound early in the week to assess the buildings' suitability as dormitories. He said he expects these students to occupy the former police offices after the traffic camera division moves in two and a half weeks. The guard said the former police compound will be connected with the Ma'ale Zeitim compound across the street via a bridge. PolOffs observed a newly-placed crane at the Ma'ale Zeitim construction site. WALLES