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East Jerusalem Should Be Palestinian Capitol, Says EU Draft Paper

European Union

by  |  on December 4th, 2009  |  4 comments

Next Tuesday, Dec. 8th, EU foreign ministers are slated to discuss the draft of a new paper criticizing Israeli policies toward the occupied Palestinian territories. The document, which suggests that East Jerusalem should be the future designated capitol of a new Palestinian state has engendered a sharp rebuke from Israel and its supporters. Although some argue the draft is to be seen as part of a diplomatic effort to strengthen the Palestinians and encourage them to return to talks, Israel has accused the EU of harming peace talks by proposing such a partition.

According to an article in the Guardian:

The draft says a future Palestine should be made up of the West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital. It adds that the EU did not recognize Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem – a position shared by the rest of the international community. “If there is to be a genuine peace, a way must be found to resolve the status of Jerusalem as the capital of two states,” says the draft, which the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz has obtained a copy of.

Sweden, which currently holds the EU presidency, was singled out for blame by Israel. “The move led by Sweden damages the ability of the European Union to take a role and be a significant factor in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians,” the Israeli foreign ministry said.

“After the important steps taken by the government of Israel to enable the resumption of negotiations with the Palestinians, the European Union must now exert pressure on the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table. Steps like those being led by Sweden only contribute to the opposite effect.”

Read the full article HERE

     
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    Comments (4)

    1. ralph Friday - 04 / 12 / 2009 Reply
      i would like to know why Jerusalem should also be the capital of a future Palestinian State . CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN IT TO ME ? 1.A Palestinian people did never exist ( which serious historical proofs of its existence f.ex. 3or 400 years ago or earlier ) 2..Jerusalem is NEVER mentioned in the Koran and its sacredness for Muslim is based on the legend that Muhammad raised to heaven with his horse after his death from Jerusalem. 3.During all the centuries of Muslim rule on it, Jerusalem had never any religious nor political importamce. 4.Contrary to Judaism ,which has historical , political, religious , cultural ties with Jerusalem since at least 3000 years , which ties have the "Palestinians" with this city ? 5.The distintinction in East or West Jerusalem was made recently. Before it was the Old City ,inside the walls and the part which began to be built outside it mid of 19th century. 6. The Jews constituted the majority of the Old City's inhabitants . 7.They were obliged to flee from the Jordan Arab Legion 1948 which destroyed all their synagogues , used the Jewish tombstones as toilets and did not permit the Jews to pray at their holiest sites the Western Wall and the Temple Mount . 8.during 19 years, from 1948 until June 1967 thousands of arabs coming from everwhere took place in the homes left by the Jews and built man
    2. ralph Friday - 04 / 12 / 2009 Reply
      Since a Palestinian people did never exist (which serious historical proofs?) any claim for sharing Jerusalem is not justified. Jerusalem is never mentioned in the Koran and the sacredness of the city is based on the legen that Mohammed raised to heaven with his horse from Jerusalem The Jews have religious, political, historical and cultural ties with Jerusalem for more than 3000 years where several families lived since time immemorial. 1948 they were obliged to leave their homes and to flee from the JORDAN ARAB LEGION which destroyed all their synagogues , used the Jewish tombstones as toilets and didn't allow them to pray at their holiest sites , the Western Wall and the Temple Mount. from 1948 until 1967 thousand of Arabs coming from everywhere did occupy the homes leftby the Jews and built many others with no reaction from the international community.
    3. azabigail Saturday - 05 / 12 / 2009 Reply
      Israel does not have to answer to anyone concerning Jerusalem. It has already been more than generous in giving land to Islam for the sake of peace. The problem is Islam. They will not be satified until Israel is gone, which will never happen.

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      December 4, 2009 at 4:43 pm

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    Neshani Jani

    FPA blogger Neshani Jani holds a Masters degree in Media Culture and Communication from New York University and dual Bachelors degrees in Anthropology and Spanish Literature from the University of California, Davis. She is a freelance writer and is currently helping to manage blog networks for the Foreign Policy Association and the Women's Education Project.

    Neshani has a background in journalism and interned with the CBS News program 60 Minutes. Additionally, she is a public and internet radio veteran. She has worked as a research assistant at both the Social Science Research Council and at the Institute for Scientific Analysis and currently blogs for several of the Foreign Policy Association's global affairs blogs.


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