VZCZCXRO9874
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0705 1171406
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 271406Z APR 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4724
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000705 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA. NSC FOR SHAPIRO/KUMAR. JOINT 
STAFF FOR LTGEN SELVA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2019 
TAGS:                
SUBJECT: GOI COMMITTEE PROPOSES UNIFICATION OF MAALE ADUMIM 
AND QEDAR SETTLEMENTS, ALLOWING EXPANSION 
 
Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
  1.  (C)  Summary.  NGO Peace Now confirmed press reports 
that the Israeli Ministry of Interior (MOI) internal panel 
recommended unification of West Bank settlements Maale Adumim 
and Qedar (southeast of Maale Adumim).  This step could 
potentially annex 3,000 acres of land to Maale Adumim and 
pave the way for the building of 6,000 new housing units. 
The lawyer representing the two Palestinian municipalities 
who claim the 3,000 acres said he will file a petition in the 
Israeli High Court of Justice to prevent the move.  A visit 
by Poloffs on April 27 revealed no new changes on the ground 
at Maale Adumim, Qedar, or E-1.  The PA strongly condemned 
the move.  End summary. 
 
Israeli MOI Panel Recommends 
Combining Maale Adumim and Qedar 
-------------------------------- 
 
 2.  (C)  Head of NGO Peace Now's Settlement Watch team Hagit 
Ofran briefed Poloff on April 27 on an Israeli Ministry of 
Interior (MOI) internal recommendation to combine West Bank 
settlements Maale Adumim and Qedar (southeast of Maale 
Adumim).  This step could potentially result in the 
annexation of 3,000 acres (11,500 dunams) of land to Maale 
Adumim that is claimed by the Palestinian municipalities of 
Abu Dis and Suwaha.  Ofran said that Minister of Interior Eli 
Yishai is likely to accept the recommendation, and called on 
the USG to pressure the GOI to reject the plan.  According to 
Ofran, the unification of Maale Adumim and Qedar is part of a 
new master plan for Maale Adumim to build 6,000 housing units 
on the 3,000 acres.  If the MOI accepts the internal panel's 
recommendation, Ofran said, Qedar will begin receiving its 
services from Maale Adumim instead of the Gush Etzion 
regional council.  Ofran claimed that the recommendation was 
calculated to convince the Israeli High Court of Justice 
(HCJ) to accept a routing of the security barrier around both 
Maale Adumim and Qedar. 
 
Appeal Against Security Barrier Route Rejected 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
 3.  (C)  Shlomo Lekker, the Israeli lawyer for Abu Dis and 
Sawaha, told Poloff on April 27 that his appeal against this 
proposed route of the security barrier was rejected by the 
Israeli Ministry of Defense (MOD) on April 23.  Lekker said 
he will now file a new petition in the HCJ, which he hopes 
will lead to an injuction order prohibiting new construction 
in the area. 
 
No Change On The Ground - Yet 
----------------------------- 
 
 4.  (C)  Poloffs visited Maale Adumim, Qedar, and E-1 on 
April 27 and observed no changes.  The eastern branch of 
Qedar settlement is located approximately one kilometer from 
Maale Adumim.  A significant number of Bedouin residential 
structures lie between Maale Adumim and Qedar. 
 
Palestinian Reaction 
-------------------- 
 
 5.  (U)  PA Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaynah publicly condemned 
the step, accusing the GOI of "intentionally destroying 
international and American efforts" to move the peace process 
forward. 
 
WALLES