GOI COMMITTEE APPROVES PLAN FOR 200-ROOM HOTEL IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000894

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PHUM IS KWBG
SUBJECT: GOI COMMITTEE APPROVES PLAN FOR 200-ROOM HOTEL IN
EAST JERUSALEM

Classified By: DPO Greg Marchese, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary. The Israeli Ministry of Interior (MOI) on
June 2 approved a plan for a 200-room hotel in the Wadi Joz
neighborhood of East Jerusalem, which will involve the
demolition of a Palestinian wholesale market and
kindergarten. The approval was welcomed by the Jerusalem
Municipality, which calls the site "underdeveloped." The PA
is preparing a legal case to challenge the approval,
including the municipality's claim to ownership of the land.
End summary.

Jerusalem Municipality Applauds
"Development" in Wadi Joz
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2. (C) Aide to the Jerusalem Mayor for Foreign Affairs
Stephan Miller confirmed to Poloff on June 4 that the Israeli
MOI's district planning committee approved a plan on June 2
for the state-owned Jerusalem Development Authority to build
a 200-room hotel in the Wadi Joz neighborhood of East
Jerusalem, east of the Rockefeller Museum. Miller applauded
the approval, calling the site, which he claims is owned by
the Jerusalem Municipality, "underdeveloped" and
"rat-infested." He confirmed that the Palestinian wholesale
market and kindergarten would be demolished to clear the site
for the hotel, and claimed that the vendors will be moved to
"new, improved commercial space," though he could not confirm
the location of the new commercial space, or whether the
kindergarten would also be relocated.

PA Preparing Legal Case Contesting Hotel
--------------


3. (C) PA Minister for Jerusalem Affairs Hatem Abdul Qader
told PolSpec on June 5 that the PA is assembling a team of
lawyers to study the plan for the hotel and prepare a legal
case objecting to it. Abdul Qader said the PA has requested
a briefing from the Jerusalem Municipality. He said the PA
is prepared for a "tough" legal battle "at the highest
levels," including the Israeli High Court of Justice (HCJ),
if necessary. He said the site was owned by the Jordanian
government prior to Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem in
1967, when the Jerusalem Municipality claimed ownership of
it. Abdul Qader said a portion of the land may be owned by
the Waqf.

Peace Now Concerned,
Estimates Two Year Timeline
--------------


4. (C) Head of NGO Peace Now's Settlement Watch Hagit Ofran
confirmed that the plan was approved on June 2 for
depositing. Once deposited, the district planning committee
will open a 60-day window for objections to be submitted, and
handling the objections will probably delay the process by
more than six months, especially if any rejected objections
are taken to the Israeli HCJ. Ofran opined that if the
district planning committee overcomes all legal challenges
and approves the plan for construction, it will take another
year for the MOI to offer the tender, receive bids from
contractors, receive permits, and begin construction.

WALLES