Condoleezza and Mahmoud held a press conference today in Ramallah where Abbas discussed dividing Jerusalem.
This, of course, has many Israelis upset that the capital of Israel may be severed and handed over to a very unstable, radical and corrupt faction.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (L) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas shake hands after their joint news conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah November 5, 2007. Rice took her diplomatic mission to the occupied West Bank on Monday for talks with Palestinian leaders seeking deadlines for future statehood negotiations with Israel. (Loay Abu Haykel/Reuters)
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Palestinian President Abbas held a news conference today on dividing Jerusalem, the capital of Israel.
The State Department reported:
PRESIDENT ABBAS: (Via interpreter) In the name of God, the Merciful and the Compassionate. I welcome Dr. Rice on her eighth visit during this year. And I would like to highly appreciate and commend her efforts and President Bush’s efforts and their insistence on achieving peace and concluding a peace agreement within the term — the presidential term of Mr. Bush. And there are also discussions about final status negotiations in Annapolis and also turning the Annapolis conference for a serious occasion to launch a genuine peace process that would achieve the vision of Mr. Bush for a two-state solution.
In this context, I agree with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that there is a real opportunity to achieve peace. And I would like to add we are very serious in seizing this opportunity in order to reach this historical peace that would lead to the creation of an independent Palestinian state with its capital East Jerusalem, that would live alongside the state of Israel.
Caroline Glick at The Jerusalem Post has more on the plans to divide Jerusalem and offer lands to the failed Palestinian Fatah Government.
One Jerusalem has more on the stunning announcement to divide the Israeli capital. The OJ blog is starting an email campaign to President Bush. Here is the letter:
Dear Mr. Bush,
For more than three decades, Jerusalem has once again been the united capital of the State of Israel. During this time, the Israeli government has acted as guardian of its holy sites – respecting the rights of all religious groups and guaranteeing access for all – Christians, Jews and Muslims. Israel’s record in this regard speaks for itself.
It stands in sharp contrast to the situation that was created in 1948, at the time of Israel’s founding, when Jerusalem was forcibly divided as a result of the invasion of Arab armies. From 1948-1967, Jews could not pray at the Western Wall and Israeli Arabs, both Christian and Muslim were denied access to their holy sites. Religious persecution led to desecration and destruction. This must never be allowed to recur.
Israel has upheld its moral and ethical obligations to the people of the world and has earned the right to retain sovereignty over all of Jerusalem, according to the present boundaries. Moreover, Israel’s decision, as a free and democratic nation, to designate a united and undivided Jerusalem as its capital, should be respected and recognized by the entire international community.
Sincerely, A Very Concerned Friend of Jerusalem
HERE is the White House email for you to forward that message.
Judith Apter Klinghoffer at History News Network has more on the developing situation.
Snapped Shot looks at the media’s slam on “right wingers” in Israel.
