Abbas: Palestinians will accept only Jerusalem as our capital

of Jerusalem is talked about in Zechariah 14?

Israel was rebirth in 1948. This anceint biblical land with entire Jerusalem its capital is an eternal herital of the Israelis, hence under a divine covenant that is timeless. Palestine on Jewish land, came to an eternal end in 1948 when the state of Israel was restored to its former glory or existence

Unfortunately, MP, neither the Koran, nor the Bible, nor Golda Meir, nor any Pope nor your beliefs have any bearing on Israels right to Jerusalem. Israel is a state lacking any legal basis for sovereignty in Jerusalem. UNSC resolution 181, under which Israel declared statehood, declared Jerusalem to be an international city, "corpus separatum," managed under UN auspices. In 1980 the Knesset passed the "Basic Law" which declared Jerusalem, complete and unified, the capital of Israel. The Basic Law is a violation of UN Security Council resolutions 476 & 478 and thus a violation of Article 49 of the 4th Geneva Convention, and therefore a war crime. UNSC resolution 478 declared the Knesset "Basic Law" null and void and 476 declares any demographic changes in Jerusalem a violation of international law and a serious violation of the Geneva Convention.

You're right Billy: annex the land, who are the Palestinians, anyway? Should Israel annex the West Bank, it will experience the wrath of the world as it has never seen. It will see the withdrawal of all US support, and without the US veto, Israel will be dragged before the Intl Criminal Court in the Hague so fast it will make your head swim. With the sanctions, divestments and boycotts that will follow such an annexation, Israel may not survive the world-wide isolation. It is amazing,you Jews have occupied Palestinian land for 42 years and know nothing about them. When Israelites crossed from Jordan into Canaan, the land was occupied by (among others) the semite tribes, Amorites, Hittites and Jebusites. The Jebusites had built Jerusalem and inhabited the city for another 100 years. Many noted scholars and historians have determined that the Jebusites are the forebears of Palestinians. They were there first. You're a smart guy Billy.

You're right Billy: annex the land, who are the Palestinians, anyway? Should Israel annex the West Bank, it will experience the wrath of the world as it has never seen. It will see the withdrawal of all US support, and without the US veto, Israel will be dragged before the Int'l Criminal Court in the Hague so fast it will make your head swim. With the sanctions, divestments and boycotts that will follow such an annexation, Israel may not survive the world-wide isolation. It is amazing,you Jews have occupied Palestinian land for 42 years and know nothing about them. When Israelites crossed from Jordan into Canaan, the land was occupied by (among others) the semite tribes, Amorites, Hittites and Jebusites. The Jebusites had built Jerusalem and inhabited the city for another 100 years. Many noted scholars and historians have determined that the Jebusites are the forebears of Palestinians. They were there first. You're a smart guy Billy.

N: "Unfortunately Jerusalem is Already Taken" A claim that Israel keeps making, and a claim that every other country in the world insists is "null and void". Still, keep shouting it to the wind....

R: "He has no authority to implement any agreement he might sign" Untrue. His offical posts within the Palestinian Authority have expired, but the Palestinian Authority is not the recognized representative of the Palestinian people. That remains - to this day - the "PLO", not the "PA". And Abbas is certainly still the head of the PLO.

B: "Everytime the subject of 'peace talks' comes up or the word 'negotiations', (during the last 20 years) we have never ever heard the word --'in return we will offer' " The Palestinians are offering Israel LEGAL title to fully half of the territory that was actually set aside for the "arab state" in the Partition Plan, Bob i.e. the Palestinians are offering to accept only half of what they are entitled to claim, because they are willing to gift the rest to Israel. But that's not good enough for you, heh? Remind me again when Israel last made a concession that was even remotely as generous to the Palestinians as that offer is to the state of Israel?

Always judge someone by what they do rather than what they say. After 61 years of history, there are many examples of Israeli actions attitudes, and commitments or lack thereof. Palestinians have every reason to distrust Israel.

trying to humiliate Israel by stealing the city because they know what Jerusalem means to Jews. Do you remember Abbas "We'll sacrifice victims until Jerusalem is ours"? Message from evil.

Israel Israel Israel - stand up for yourselves. The world does not care about jews, or history, because arab oil and money is more important (right now) Obama's ignorance of history and R.Emmanuel's sick attitude is enough to make me sick ! Israel should get tough, and throw the Pals out completely from the West bank and elsewhere - send them to Jordan, or anywhere else - where they are loved (like Saudi Arabia for instance). Send the Mosque too - brick by bleeding brick! Annexe Judea & Samaria, and no right of return to any arab. What does it take for Israeli leaders to finally get tough. Israel stop living up to arab bull shit - there is no such persons as Pals, and they have no history or connection to Jerusalem or to Israel - Israel stop sucking in the B.S. - change the agenda, and become masters of your own destiny - once and for all ! get tough, act tough, and stay tough ! G-d bless Israel

During the Crusades there was no such thing as the UN. Most of the time I believe this organization is full of itself...but it is a sounding board for world problems. As well the crusaders had to travel thousands of miles to get to the Middle East...that took a long time. But now with missiles and jets we all can shoot each other much quicker and easier. Believe me that scenario will not happen. Israel is there. Israel is not moving. Jerusalem is not occupied....and if it is you are the occupier. The close proximity of Israel to all of her neigbors makes it hard to to pinpoint a strike against her. Using nuclear weaponry on Israel will mean huge death and destruction for Jordon, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon. But then again if all Moslems are meant to be martyrs then basically your leaders are willing to wipe you out as well.

The whole world rejects Israel's right to Jerusalem? PUHLEEZE! How many times does the Koran mention Jerusalem? ZERO..The Bible? More than 800 times! You remind me what Golda Meir said about Pope Paul VI: in his warm Christian heart there's a cold spot reserved for the Jews..

"Remove the Arab stranger from the Land and let him live with his brothers and sisters in any of their 22 states. Anything short of that will see the horrors of today escalate a hundred-fold tomorrow." He was right in 1984. He's right in 2010.

Many Jewish people died in the Crusades. The major difference here is the original inhabitants of Jerusalem was the Jewish people. I don't have a problem with sharing if it really led to peace and if it is just a disguise to eventually take all of Israel, then the Palestinians can live with their brothers in refugee camps. There brothers and sisters treat them like dirt.

jerusalem is the capital of israel ! the only extant teatty on the subject is san remo 1920 !

is stolen land, stolen by Israel in complete defiance of international law and countless UN resolutions. That's the reason NO OTHER COUNTRY recognises or will recognise J'sem as Israel's capital. The world just does not condone or accept armed land theft like this, which the Israel state, its army and its settlers are all guilty of. These war crime charges are beginning to pile up, there WILL be a day of reckoning.

...Congress is? I believe USA congress is the direct representatives of the peoples of the USA, not the President, he is indirectly elected through electoral colleges, not the senate, they are elected at a rate of 2 per state, not on a Rep for Pop and as such REpresent the State not the People. Also please advise why your President's have in past since 1995, extended this 6 month extension for reasons of SECURITY. Also, please explain what Security your President's have feared and how that isn't Terrorism: to not do something politically for fear of violent reprisal. Hmm.... seems to me that if it wasn't for fear of Muslim extremists this wouldn't be an issue. Kinda makes you think...

If Israel says we don't recognize London as the capital of the UK, Washington as the capital of the US or Paris as the capital of France will that mean that these cities will cease to be the capital for those countries? Since its independence recognized or not Israel has always made Jerusalem its capital. The Knesset, Supreme Court, prime minister & presidents official residence and all other symbols of state have been based in Jerusalem not Tel Aviv. Other countries are welcome to say we don't recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Tel Aviv but that won't change the reality. On the record nobody recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel but off the record they are all more than happy to accept reailty that Jerusalem is the capital. You think that if they didn't accept that then foreign diplomats etc would agree to meet with Israeli officials in Jerusalem? Never in its history has Jerusalem been the capital of the jewish land biblically or modern day & its never been shared.

"Something as basic as requiring Israel to completely stop settlement activity". If he (Fayyad) is this naive then it is understandable why the pals have not accepted peace yet... and yes peace has been on the table since 1967 all the Arabs have to do to get it is Give up Jerusalem... do the pals really want another 41 years of occupation that would literally erode any chance of a independent state? Just think how many and how big the settlements will be then...

The whole point of negotiation is for both sides to talk with each other say what they want and each side makes concessions until we can reach the best of a bad situation. Saying no talks till Israel delivers what Abbas himself knows Bibi cannot deliver he wants to survive politically is pointless. Anybody who was SERIOUS about the idea of negotiation for a 2 state idea would say there is nothing to be gained by holding a temper tantrum because I am not getting things I want in advance. I am better off talking then at least I can get something whilst if I play high and mighty and Israel doesn't accept my terms I get nothing and Israel continues policies I don't like and I can do nothing about it. Instead of talking about what Bibi wont do lets start asking what Abbas will do and lets not forget Abbas is the one who wants land Israel controls not the other way around.

As long Jerusalem is occupied, Israel can make sure that it will stay in constant war with Moslems. Moslems fought the crusaders for 140 years in order to liberate Jerusalem. people who don't read history end up repeating it.

the only way the pals are ever going to be able to call Jerusalem thier capital is if they give up thier aspirations of having an independent state and try to make Israel a Bi-national state like Canada...

You are wrong Kaska! All Israel wants is to live in peace in their own land! Does that mean they should give up their beloved Jerusalem which has been theirs since time immemorable. God gave them this land for eternity and after the Diaspora He promised to bring them back, which He is doing, from around the world! Giving Jerusalem to the arabs woud not bring peace anyway, because they would still attack and persecute the Jews as they will only be happy with their complete annihilation! There are vast muslim lands in the Middle East surrounding Israel. Why do they want this tiny sliver of land when they could be so eaily assimilated into the ME lands which share their beliefs. It doesn`t make sense. The Israelis should not give up any more land to the Arabs, otherwise God`s wrath will be incurred and besides, this would not bring peace! In the end it will be Almighty God who will come to rescue the Jews from annihilation by those who only want her demise!

First we know the "all or nothing" Palestinian approach has failed miserably. Now both parties already agree on about 95% of the land, a country should be created there first. Then building should take place in both Gaza and the WB. First public infrastructure i.e. Water, sewers, electricity, roads etc., this would create much needed jobs. Next or along side of this, new Apartments, new houses should be built, Old or damaged houses fixed. The effect would be to improve living conditions for the Palestinian. Resentments would decrease and so would terrorism. This would open the door for more concessions from Israel because the proof would be in the pudding. I believe most people would rather live in peace than a perpetual state of war. But you must start somewhere and the "all or nothing" isn't the place to start. It must be in steps, you can't use the elevator to get out at the top floor in this deal. Using the staircase still gets you to the top floor it's just slower.

What other capital have the Jews as a nation had? How did this city even get on the map and become a city of such renown? Many countries who station their embassies in Tel Aviv do so because of the very real threat of militant strikes and economic boycotts from those opposing Israel's existence in the first place. It's this fear factor that mostly keeps them from making the move to officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Nevertheless, the Jews are not dependent on outside support for them to continue with their love and admiration of their capital city, as it has been indelibly ingrained in them for millenia.

for the pals, for they are forever making demands and bulldoze (no pune intended) there way through their ONE WAY street. Now the pa has set once again another demand for the documented capital of the hebrew people would not only be divided but, they the pals want excusive rights of Jerusalem. This should be a easy one for Bibi, for you cant have Jerusalem part of it or any of it ,this is in Israel and belongs to Israel. Deportation of subversion of Israeli law should be instituted by the Governing body of the israeli government. A good will gesture should be by the pa and his groups, like the release of captive hostage and a active duty IDF solider (Gilad), then and only then would the pals be taken serious. They are making a hard case for anyone in the world to see that they not only dont want peace, but they want the whole pie not a piece of the pie. mr abbas you reap what you sow !!!

No country in the world accepts Israel's claim that Jerusalem is its capital. The only way this will ever change is when Jerusalem becomes the capital of Palestine and Israel. Israel is used to getting its own way through brutality and bullying, but in this case it hasn't worked.

#13 You say with Pals it is always Give me, Give me, Give me. How about Israel's Take, Take, Take. Looks like Greed, Greed, Greed to me!!!

If he plan to "If Israel says in the meeting that it will not accept the 1967 borders and that it is not prepared to discuss Jerusalem and the refugee situation, what is there to talk about?" Indeed borders can not be 1967. No Palestinian can come to Israel unless accepted by Immigration office after applying as immigrants and there is no need to discuss Jerusalem. If that is all he wants to discuss than there is no point in talks, it is all decided.

If peace means dividing Jerusalem then why not? Jerusalem will still be our capitol even if we don?t control all of it. At the rate that we are going we will never get peace as we seem incapable of compromise. Isn?t it enough that we have taken their land and made their lives a misery, why do we insist on digging a deeper hole for ourselves?

abbas, keep on demanding everything and you will get nothing. while israel will prosper and flourish,palestinians will regress and stagnate..time to move on. give up some to get some.

The Palestinians should make another city their capital, getting architects to design it and business men to invest money in it. They should encourage education, free trade and freedom of speech. Then they too will have something to be proud of. It's time for them to stop their self-destructive approach and start thinking of a better future for their children.

The problem is that the Abbas-PLO concept of an undivided Jerusalem is a stalking horse for claims on the Western half of the city for Palestinians and, within the additional demand for "right of return", claims on Israel west of the Green line--a cats paw stratagem for push back to the original Jewish bantu stan partition plan pre War of Independence and beyond. Unfortunately, the diplomatic riposte to this audacious Palestinian position is not peace gestures but more construction.

"What more COULD they possibly give up?" [Apa] Here are a few: 1. Jerusalem as their capital. 2. RoR for displaced persons and all their millions of progeny since 1948. 3. Claims to Jewish cities and villages already built along the edge of WB. 4. Weapons except for small arms for their police. 5. Plans and terrorist activities to destroy Israel. 6. Shalit.

For centuries now, the Muslim's third holiest site is within Jerusalem, specifically the Dome of the Rock, which is for Judaism the Temple Mount site. The majority of Palestinians are Muslims and the Arab League states which support them, also have the direct association to this holy site. For Judaism today, the holiest site is the Western Wall adjacent to the mosque in the Old City. If the Palestinian parliament would be the same distance away from the mosque as the Israeli Knesset within Jerusalem is approximately the same distance, it seems feasible to share the capital city. Since Palestinians living in Eastern Jerusalem, now for centuries are the property owners despite the numerous jurisdictions over the centuries,(Trans-Jordanian, Ottoman, etc.) how cannot this be recognized as a legitimate claim? We can't oust them from the city. That's why discussions about borders must be immediately addressed.

They already gave up Jaffa and all their claims of places within Israel. Israel is like the school yard bully that after stealing all the lunch money insits on also grabbing what little food the poor schoolchildren brought. The Palestinians have given up plenty. Why should they give up more? What more COULD they possibly give up?

Abbas wants,wants,wants. Has he offered to stop the violence? The article states: "If Israel says in the meeting that it will not accept the 1967 borders and that it is not prepared to discuss Jerusalem and the refugee situation, what is there to talk about?" Abbas said in the interview. " 1) Israel has accepted the 67 borders with some modification. 2) Israel has accepted East J. with conditions. 3) The refugees will go to the new Pal state with a small number probably 40-60 thousand allowed back into Israel. Israel is not under any legal obligation to accept a hostile group of Arabs back into Israel who would then seek to wage a terrorist war against it. Abbas Stop whining and get to the table. Stop the demands and get a country.

Perhaps my idea is to simple for such a complex situation. If Israel is searching for real peace, go direct to the Palestinian people. Reach them through television, radio, advertising,drop leaflets to them. Propose an Israeli, Palestinian confederation. Israel and Palestine in pre 1967 borders,Tel Aviv, Israeli capital, Ramallah Palestinian capital. Jerusalem international capital of confederation with no borders and joint Israeli and Palestinian police force, no army inside. The rest of confederation wil gradually remove borders between as conditions improve. To start monetery systems and economy to be integrated, and as lives of people improve war disapears. There is much more thought that must be put to this plan, but if people want peace there must be some compromise now for a better future

'The Arabs have made it clear that they want Jerusalem, all of it, for their capital. ' No they have not. The PA has made it clear that they want EAST Jerusalem back as their capital. You are spreading false stories. Why not? - Israel has no legal right whatsoever to be there, it is Occupied Territory and belligerent occupation is in law specifically a TEMPORARY status. No matter how many Arab buildings it bulldozes or Jewish settlements it builds there, no matter how much it blusters and bullies, Israel can NEVER legally have sovereignty or legal ownership over E J'sem. The only way it could do so is if the Palestinian civil authority agreed to it, which is never going to happen. Too many Zionists live in a cloud of wish dreams - wake up Fivish, the whole world wants Israel the heck out of E J'sem and the West Bank and patience is running out.

Abbas can dream of settling in Mars. But it is only a dream. Israel can tell him NO, NO, NO.

Like Arafat, Abbas is clinging to power after the expiry of the term he was elected for. He has no authority to implement any agreement he might sign so there is no point paying a price for negotiating with him. Abbas will soon be gone but united Jerusalem will always be the capital of the Jewish state of Israel.

Everytime the subject of "peace talks" comes up or the word "negotiations" , (during the last 20 years) we have never ever heard the word --"in return we will offer" ,,,its always Give me, Give me, Give me,,,, and too much is too little and what Israel will give will never be enough......Stop asking , start offering and giving ,,Abbas!!!

Unless the world puts preasure on both sides there will never be a peace treaty, and even under world preassure if a treaty is signed there will be constant breaches.Israel didn't bring back Arafat and the PLO from Tunisia to sign the Oslo agreement to make peace, they brought Arafat because he would not honour any agreement. If israel would have negotiated with local Palestinian leadership there would be preassure on Israel to withdraw the local leadership wanted peace. To-day no matter who is in control of Palestinians, if Israel agreed to all their demands,to-morrow there would be new demands. The Palestinians will never agree to any propossal, they don't want peace with Israel, and Israel doesn, want to withdraw.

Who is abbas anyway.......... people listening to him are just as mislead and ignorant and ARROGANT, and they deserve the same as him....to be ignored as non excistant.!

I don't understand why the "Palestinians" want E.Jerusalem as their Capital. Other than the Golden Dome which was deliberately built on top of the Jewish Temple, why is E.Jerusalem so "Imperative" to them. Wouldn't they be better off to accept PEACE, A State and a capital in Ramallah as their best way forward?

My guess is that the Palestinian people are ready to accept some reality, get things settled, and start an uncomplicated life. It is Abbas, Haniyeh, Meshaal and the like that want to keep the pot brewing forever. Or at least until Israel is gone. Since when are Arab leaders ever concerned with the best interests of all their people?

Guess Abbas is 'leading' his 'people' to another 60 years of misery. Some leader.

There is nothing to 'negotiate'. The Arabs have made it clear that they want Jerusalem, all of it, for their capital. Now that is never ever going to happen. So there is nothing to 'negotiate'. End the farse of Oslo now! Close down the PA and send the terrorists in suits to Paradise!

is perpetual and self-defeating. Like saying, we accept only Washington DC as our capital... This is not only provocative it is also shows how unreasonable our neighbors are.

Hello Mr. Abbas...Wake up and take your coffee and at night sleep and have another dream...

and Israel will refuse this proving once again they do not want peace. It is obvious to any indenpendant observer that the continuing construction in East Jerusalem and the West Bank is Israel trying to grab as much land as they can, regardless of international resolutions. Honestly I don't think this conflit will ever resolve peacefully. Israel will continue doing what it does as long as they can do it with impunity. But even if it takes the Arabs 2000 years, Israel is doomed unless it gets a peace agreement quickly. Ehud Barak seems to be the only one smart enough to understand this. Where will Israel be when the USA is no longer the worlds super power? You think China cares more about Israel than Iranian, Saudi and Libyan oil?

Why ? What it is so special about Jerusalem for the palestinians ? The mosque ? This can be moved brick by brick to anywhere Abbas wants to the West Bank ? What else the palestinians have in Jerusalem more than that ?! The palestinians stands to lose an independent state of their own because of a 'mosque' ! How illogical ! Israel accepted to live more than 20 years without Jerusalem, The name that every Jew remember in his prayers every day for 2000 years.

Where are the offers of Good Faith Gestures from the Palestinians? Abbas says that there should be free passage (into Jersualem) for people of various faiths. But where was this free passage for Jewish people prior to 1967?