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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Netanyahu: Israel will not accept limits on sovereignty over Jerusalem |
| 2009-08-26 |
| Ma'an/Agencies -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on Tuesday that he would not halt the construction of illegal settlements in East Jerusalem. Jerusalem, Netanyahu told reporters at a London news conference, "Is not a settlement. It is the sovereign capital of the State of Israel. We have been building in Jerusalem for 3,000 years." "Israel will not accept limits on its sovereignty," in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said, speaking alongside British counterpart Gordon Brown after a meeting at 10 Downing Street. Israel annexed East Jerusalem after occupying it along with the rest of the West Bank in June 1967. The annexation has never been recognized as legitimate by the international community. Britain, along with the US and most other countries maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv. Despite Jerusalem's centrality in the debate over the settlements, the Israeli leader said that Israel and the US were closer to reaching a compromise on the issue, paving the way for renewed negotiations with the Palestinians. "We hope to move forward in the next months and weeks," said the Israeli leader, as quoted by the Haaretz newspaper. "With the help of our friends in the US, Britain and elsewhere we can achieve progress that will confound the cynics and surprise the world," he added. He urged the Palestinian leadership to move forward in a "courageous" way and tell the Palestinian people: "It's over, there is going to be real, final peace." On the settlement issue, Netanyahu said he hoped to find a "bridging formula" that would enable settlers already living in the West Bank colonies to lead a "normal life." For his part, Brown reiterated his government's position that continued construction in settlements poses an obstacle to a two-state solution to the Palestinian struggle for self-determination, though he added that there appears to be progress on the issue. The British prime minister said a settlement freeze construction would likely pave the way for Arab states to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 Gordon Brown is another "useful idiot". Jerusalem belongs to the Jews, by history, by war, and by occupation and annexation. Brown needs to close his pie hole. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2009-08-26 14:08 |
| #1 Yerusalem belongs to Israel, period. |
| Posted by: newc 2009-08-26 02:11 |