Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TELAVIV1095
2008-05-23 11:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:
NO TENDERS ISSUED FOR BEITAR ILLIT...YET
how-toVZCZCXRO1893 OO RUEHROV DE RUEHTV #1095 1441159 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 231159Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6814 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 001095
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
GOLDBERGER/SHAMPAINE/ROSENSTOCK/PECCIA; NSC FOR
ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL; JCS FOR GENERAL FRASER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL IS KPAL KWBG
SUBJECT: NO TENDERS ISSUED FOR BEITAR ILLIT...YET
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 001095
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
GOLDBERGER/SHAMPAINE/ROSENSTOCK/PECCIA; NSC FOR
ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL; JCS FOR GENERAL FRASER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL IS KPAL KWBG
SUBJECT: NO TENDERS ISSUED FOR BEITAR ILLIT...YET
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) On May 26, Ynet reported that the Ministry of
Construction and Housing (MOCH) had issued a tender to build
286 housing units in the West Bank settlement of Beitar
Illit. MOCH Director General Chaim Fialkoff clarified to
econoff on May 27 that the MOCH has not actually issued
tenders for these units, although they are in the advanced
stages of the approval process. Fialkoff noted that these
units are part of -- not an addition to -- the 682 total
housing units in Beitar Illit that Prime Minister Olmert had
re-approved for building in early April. Although Olmert had
given his approval, it still had to go through the requisite
bureaucratic approval process. (Note: In early April, the
Prime Minister's Office confirmed to the Ambassador that
Olmert had unfrozen the construction of 682 housing units in
Beitar Illit, not 750 units as press had reported. This
project was approved years ago, but was frozen by the
government. End note.)
2. (C) According to Fialkoff, these 286 units will make up
one new neighborhood in Beitar Illit contiguous to an already
existing neighborhood and is located inside the settlement's
municipal boundaries. He noted that these units are being
built to address the housing demands of the ultra-orthodox
community inside and outside of Jerusalem. According to
Fialkoff, the MOCH last issued tenders for construction in
Beitar Illit approximately two years ago.
3. (C) Comment: Although the MOCH has not issued a tender
for construction since 2006, construction in Beitar Illit
constitutes one of the largest construction projects in the
West Bank. Between August 2004 and September 2006, the GOI
issued tenders for the construction of 1,168 housing units in
Beitar Illit.
********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
JONES
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
GOLDBERGER/SHAMPAINE/ROSENSTOCK/PECCIA; NSC FOR
ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL; JCS FOR GENERAL FRASER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL IS KPAL KWBG
SUBJECT: NO TENDERS ISSUED FOR BEITAR ILLIT...YET
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) On May 26, Ynet reported that the Ministry of
Construction and Housing (MOCH) had issued a tender to build
286 housing units in the West Bank settlement of Beitar
Illit. MOCH Director General Chaim Fialkoff clarified to
econoff on May 27 that the MOCH has not actually issued
tenders for these units, although they are in the advanced
stages of the approval process. Fialkoff noted that these
units are part of -- not an addition to -- the 682 total
housing units in Beitar Illit that Prime Minister Olmert had
re-approved for building in early April. Although Olmert had
given his approval, it still had to go through the requisite
bureaucratic approval process. (Note: In early April, the
Prime Minister's Office confirmed to the Ambassador that
Olmert had unfrozen the construction of 682 housing units in
Beitar Illit, not 750 units as press had reported. This
project was approved years ago, but was frozen by the
government. End note.)
2. (C) According to Fialkoff, these 286 units will make up
one new neighborhood in Beitar Illit contiguous to an already
existing neighborhood and is located inside the settlement's
municipal boundaries. He noted that these units are being
built to address the housing demands of the ultra-orthodox
community inside and outside of Jerusalem. According to
Fialkoff, the MOCH last issued tenders for construction in
Beitar Illit approximately two years ago.
3. (C) Comment: Although the MOCH has not issued a tender
for construction since 2006, construction in Beitar Illit
constitutes one of the largest construction projects in the
West Bank. Between August 2004 and September 2006, the GOI
issued tenders for the construction of 1,168 housing units in
Beitar Illit.
********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
JONES