Cablegate: Israel's Response to British Note Verbale On

VZCZCXRO7760
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHTV #3482 3441302
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 101302Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4521
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 003482

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
GOLDBERGER/SHAMPAINE/ROSENSTOCK/PECCIA; NSC FOR
ABRAMS/SINGH/WATERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL IS KPAL KWBG
SUBJECT: ISRAEL'S RESPONSE TO BRITISH NOTE VERBALE ON
SHEPHERD'S HOTEL AND MUFTI'S GROVE

REF: A. TEL AVIV 03088
B. SECSTATE 141005

1. (SBU) Below is the text of the Israeli Ministry of
Foreign Affairs' response to the British Embassy's October 19
Note Verbale regarding Shepherd's Hotel and the Mufti's Grove
site in East Jerusalem. The MFA's response was provided to
Ambassador Jones by the British Ambassador on November 20.

2. (SBU) (Begin Text)

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
JERUSALEM

NOTE

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel
presents its compliments to Her Majesty's Embassy and has the
honour to refer to its Note Verbale, No. 106/2007 dated 19
October 2007 concerning the Shepherd's Hotel.

The Ministry reiterates its understanding that no planning
application regarding the construction of a new complex on
the site has been submitted. All such applications are
publicly available and, as noted in the Ministry's response
to the British Non-Paper on this matter dated 1 May 2007, any
such application would be examined in accordance with the
provisions of Israeli Law.

As regard the Mufti's Grove site, we understand from the
Israel Lands Authority that the declaration issued in
relation to this site was not a new procedure, but in fact
the continuation of a proceeding which has been in process
for several decades. We are also informed that this site has
been and remains designated as public open space. The site
is currently the subject of a petition to the Supreme Court
sitting as the High Court of Justice HCJ 6716/07.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs avails itself of this
opportunity to renew to Her Britannic Majesty's Embassy the
assurances of its highest consideration.

Jerusalem, 28 October 2007

(End Text)

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