UPDATE ON SETTLEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001098

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR SHAPIRO/KUMAR; JOINT
STAFF FOR LTGEN SELVA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/2019
TAGS: PGOV KPAL KWBG PBTS PREL
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON SETTLEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

REF: JERUSALEM 966

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


1. (C) Summary. Israeli NGO contacts briefed PolOff on
several West Bank settlement infrastructure projects.
Projects include a wastewater pipeline to serve Ariel
settlement, a wastewater purification plant in Ofra
settlement, a road between Geva'ot and Beitar Illit
settlements, and access roads for a new Jerusalem-Tel Aviv
railway near the town of Beit Iksa. End summary.


Land confiscation underway
for Ariel wastewater pipeline
--------------


2. (C) Israeli NGO B'Tselem researcher Eyal Hareuveni told
PolOff June 24 that the Israeli Civil Administration has
begun to distribute land confiscation orders to Palestinians
in Salfit district in preparation for the construction of a
wastewater pipeline from Ariel settlement into Israel, a
distance of at least 10 miles. (Note: The Mayor of Salfit
told the Consul General June 8 that the town suffers from
seepage of untreated wastewater from Ariel settlement and
Barkan Industrial Zone (reftel). End note). Hareuveni said
that the pipeline project, initiated by the Israeli Ministry
of Environment and Ariel Municipality, is estimated to cost
NIS 70 million and would likely be financed by the GOI and
Ariel Municipality.


Palestinian petition against Ofra wastewater
purification plant on private land
--------------


3. (C) Dror Etkes of Israeli NGO Yesh Din told PolOff on June
24 that construction of a wastewater purification plant to
serve Ofra settlement remains frozen following a stop-work
order issued in 2008. Two Palestinian individuals,
represented by Yesh Din, submitted a petition claiming that
the wastewater purification plant had been constructed on
private Palestinian land and calling for the facility to be
dismantled. Etkes opined that settlers and other settlement
bodies are "undoubtedly" attempting to retroactively purchase
the land, which belongs to four Palestinian families. He
expressed skepticism that the partially-constructed facility
would be demolished.


Seizure orders issued for Road
--------------


4. (C) Etkes informed PolOff June 25 that two land seizure
orders have been issued to enable the construction of a road
between Geva'ot and Beitar Illit settlements west of
Bethlehem. The orders call for the seizure of 12.3 dunums
(roughly 3 acres) of land, which Etkes said belongs to nearby
Nahalin village. (Comment: "Settler roads" are often lined
with fencing, which may make land on the west side of the
road inaccessible to Nahalin residents. End Comment.)


Jerusalem-Tel Aviv railway
to cut across West Bank
--------------


5. (C) Palestinian press reported June 23 plans for a new
Jerusalem-Tel Aviv railway that will cut through the West
Bank. Hagit Ofran of Peace Now confirmed to PolOff June 24
that Peace Now submitted an objection to the railway plans.
Ofran explained that the proposed path of the railway access
roads cut through Palestinian land near the town of Beit Iksa.
WALLES