EU diplomats say East Jerusalem should be treated as Palestinian capital
EU consuls in Palestinian Authority recommend boycotting Israeli products from East Jerusalem, call for EU officials to be present at home demolitions and evacuations.
By Nir HassonEast Jerusalem should be treated as the capital of the Palestinian state, according to a report compiled by the heads of European diplomatic missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah. The report includes several other unprecedented recommendations to the European Union regarding its attitude toward East Jerusalem.
The European diplomats, mainly consuls, also recommend that EU officials and politicians refuse to visit Israeli government offices that are located beyond the Green Line and that they decline any Israeli security in the Old City and elsewhere in East Jerusalem.
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Beit Yonatan (top center, draped in an Israeli flag) in the E. Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan. |
| Photo by: Tess Scheflan |
The report, which was completed last month, was sent to the EU's main foreign policy body, the Political and Security Committee in Brussels. It was apparently not released at the time due to the sensitivity of its content.
The diplomats' report also discusses the possibility of preventing "violent settlers in East Jerusalem" from being granted entry into EU countries. In the area of commerce, it recommends encouraging a boycott of Israeli products from East Jerusalem.
The first part of the report details construction and expansion of settlements in East Jerusalem, the infringement of human rights of Palestinian residents of the eastern part of the city, as well as inequality in education and medical services available to Palestinians. The report concludes that beyond their humanitarian significance, these conditions weaken the Palestinian hold on the city.
European criticism of Israeli policy in the territories and particularly East Jerusalem is not new. But the dramatic turn in the report can be seen in the operative steps it recommends, which in fact constitute the foundations for sanctions against Israel.
For example, the document proposes that visiting senior EU officials not use Israeli businesses operating in East Jerusalem, such as hotels and transportation companies, and that archaeological sites operated by "pro-settler organizations" (a reference to the City of David National Park ) not be visited.
The report goes on to suggest that public awareness be raised about settlement products, "for instance by providing guidance on origin labeling for settlement products to major EU retailers," and that EU citizens be informed "of the financial risks involved in purchasing property in occupied East Jerusalem."
The diplomats also recommend that the EU encourage Israel to allow the reopening of Palestine Liberation Organization offices in East Jerusalem, in keeping with the road map. Israel closed the PLO institutions during the second intifada.
EU diplomats are called on to express great concern during their meetings with senior Israeli officials over the state of emergency services to East Jerusalem Arabs, the report also says.
It added that EU officials should be present at house demolitions or evacuations from homes, as well as at court hearings on such issues, and "ensure EU intervention when Palestinians are arrested or intimidated by Israeli authorities for peaceful cultural, social or political activities in East Jerusalem".
The report further recommends that the European Union "encourage Arab countries to acknowledge the multicultural dimension of Jerusalem, including its Jewish and Christian heritage."
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And who might this elusive EU diplomats be? - anyone?
This report shows the begining of sanctions against Israel. If Israel's policies continues as is, Europe stops dealing with Israel completely.
since the anti semites have refused to recognise it as capital for 62 years how will thye suddenly explain its ok for an arab capital but not ajewish one ? SHADES OF NUREMBURG ??
in the end this is good to have a better idea with who are we dealing with. reccomendations from eu from now on will be treated as garbage words.
Can't one look at "Black September" as an admission by the Palestinians that Jordan is Palestine ?! Why we shouldn't take up the solution of this conflict from where it was really started ?! If the Palestinians would like to blind themselves one can't imagine a sane world will be the same ! Those who are honestly looking for a solution must not forget the truth and the many facts of history and prefer to live with lies. Isn't this conflict is all about lies and the fabrication of history ? By the same vine of lies 1/5th of the world must belong to the Arabs & perhaps 2/5th of the world to Great Britain etc.. etc...
Yes, yes, no, no, there is international law and thats on what EU member states can agree. Notice, settlements in occupied territories are illegal and Eastern Jerusalem is an occupied territory as well, however Israel calls it. The transfer of the own population into an occupied territory is even a crime. Very easy case!!
The need to hold mirror to themselves and see how unequal their suggestions are to Brussels they are the EU representatives to Israel whose citizens and their descendants have been subjected to numerous at their hand from the destruction of Second Temple to inquisition to numerous of expulsions from various countries under various guises including finally the Shoa!!!
Then Israeli should cease trading with the European Union, and refuse to accept the favourable terms the EU gives Israel to export their goods to the EU. Israel will be fucked of course because they export 80% of all they produce to the EU. but then you'll know that won't you
So you hold the EU responsible for the destruction of the second temple? Hint for you: the EU was created in 1955 ...
No one has yet come up with a cogent explanation of why a Palestinian Arab state needs to have Jerusalem as its capital rather than Ramallah. The only reason is one that is implied: that they will keep supporting terrorism unless they get what they demand. This isn't politics; it is blackmail. (The real reason for the demand, of course, is to strip the Jewish State of every vestige of Judaism.)
some of us were born there, our fathers, grandfathers...etc. were also born there...so, were is your linkage? born in Russia, your father, grandfather also born in Russia...give me a break
The EU have no authority to treat Jerusalem as the capital of a palestinian state because firstly there is no palestinian state and recognising it as the capital of that state is as pathetic as Brazil opening a mickey mouse embassy of the palestinian state. Israel is also not bound by any EU laws and Jerusalem is the UNDIVIDED capital of Israel and ONLY Israel. Just because the palestinians want it doesn't mean they should automatically get it. Would the EU agree to make London, Paris or Berlin as their capital if they demanded it? If the EU wants to talk to Israel about something constructive they will be asking how is it Israel has managed to maintain a growing economy during a a time when EU states are going bankrupt? Just wait till Israel starts bringing up its natural gas reserves, then the EU will want to be our friends.
recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, no one else. The EU's capital is in Brussels, and if it wanted to move it thent hey would need a vote with a majority. They would not just invade one of these places illegally and then claim it to be theirs like Israel did. Bad analogy, nice try though.
The grandfathers of these gentlemen killed Jews in Europe and now grandsons try to expel us from Israel. If the Jerusalem is not Jewish, what is Jewish? May be king David was Arab?
....the grandfathers of the british diplomats? did they kill jews? or did they lay down their lives so that ungrateful little runts like you could live? how dare you be so ungrateful to the men and women who died so that you (and i) may be free. you sicken me.
they can write any and all memoranda and they can make declarations. however, as long as there is no peace treaty between israel and the palestinians, the sole authority in jerusalem is the state of israel.
I mean, Israel did not need authority over Russia in order to aid the Georgian army, did it now? Jews do not have authority over the world, still they feel they are entitled to live where ever they want. So authority got nothing to do with it. But speaking of authority, the EU does have authority over with whom it trades, whom it boycots and whom it will not allow to enter the EU anymore. Please remember that.
georgia is a sovereign state. the palestinians are not sovereign. any attempt by the europeans to arm the palestinians would be a gross violation of the un charter and of international law. furthermore, any diplomatic pressure on israel along the lines you mentioned, would lead to further war between israel and the palestinians. threats from the eu do not worry me. israel has enough oil/gas reserves to last for generations.
I was not proposing the EU should arm the Pals, just using it as an analogy concerning the irrelevance of authority in international politics. And please check the figures of the importance of trade to the EU for Israel (regarding Israel's GDP), without that and only oil & gas to sell Israel will become a kind of Jewish Saudi-Arabia for generations, which is not what you prefer I take it..
regarding trade relations, i am quite confident that they will continue. if by chance not, israel has and will have other partners. have a nice day.
They should be proposing to dis-arm Israel, if your concern is actually violence plus, Israel very soon will not have any partners left if it continues to do what it's doing
I hear Asian politicans say Bethlehem should be considered an international city as was decided in the partition plan.
sanction these weirdos!
Foaming at the mouth, like his grandparents and ancestors. Look who's calling US weirdos. This is actually quite funny.
By using them you agree to the substance
We didn't vote to be in it and we don't want it. The Euro can't collapse soon enough. Brussels is a thrown together country without a government and they resent anyone else having a history and sovereignty, that's why they're on the ambassador bandwagon to make itself what it's not. The EU emperor has no clothes and is shameless about it. We, normal people in Britain know Israel belongs to the land, and Jerusalem and Judea, Samaria and Gaza, we know Jordan was given as the Arab state. And don't worry about the boycotts - everything desirable and needed (meds) is Jewish anyway - Ha!
I doubt that you represent the "normal" British people. But by all means, keep dreaming...
"We, normal people in Britain know Israel belongs to the land, and Jerusalem and Judea, Samaria and Gaza, we know Jordan was given as the Arab state" What you're repeating there Kate B is a right-wing Grreater Israel Zionist narrative. Most Brits aren't right-wing Greater Israel Zionists. They believe that Israel should be safe within its pre-1967 borders and that Palestine should be established in the West Bank and Gaza.
Greece, Spain, etc, etc, are all going bust, before our very eyes. Yet, they champion a fraudulent cause. This fraudulent entity will bite Europe like never before. The Queen will be overtaken by Islamic entities. Europe will soon be but a faded memory. Yet, they think by capitulating and appeasing the fraudulent entities and dictators, they'll be safe. We watch, from other areas of the planet, as the EU dives head first into the cesspool.
"This fraudulent entity will bite Europe like never before. The Queen will be overtaken by Islamic entities. Europe will soon be but a faded memory. Yet, they think by capitulating and appeasing the fraudulent entities and dictators, they'll be safe. We watch, from other areas of the planet, as the EU dives head first into the cesspool." As a person living in what you describe as a cesspool I have to say I find your apocolyptic vision of Muslim hordes drowing Europe unrecognisable and laughable. The Nazis used to conjure up fantasies of hordes of Slavs, Jews and untermenschen from the East drowning Europe. Your vision sounds eearily similar.
Only for those with very minimal powers of differentiation. Europe as was known is dead - just do not know that - yet. Meanwhile let us have fun in Europe...
"Europe as was known is dead - just do not know that - yet" Yes, unfortunately for you there's no evidence for that statement whatsoever. So it's hard to discuss. We might as well discuss the statements: 'Aliens from the planet Qarg live amongst us - just do not know that - yet' Or how about: 'The world will be sucked into a vortex created by a new type of Albanian coffee blender -just do not know that - yet.' Feel free to add some more if you like.
I don't know what you guys have been drinking, it must be empty between your ears. Next thing you'll say is Los Angeles should be the capitol of Mexico.
The city of Jerusalem belongs to the Jews! And only the Jews,let them find another capital,say in Iran! The EU needs to back off and mind their own bizz..
With the same logic the rest of the world have the right to kick you out of their way, and with same logic from the point of view of arabs they would kick you out whenever they get the sufficient power. You steal the lands and kill people and then complaint for what happened in WWII. One must be logical and coherant.
which they have decided to swallow for their own political purposes.
How about a reality check.Israel holds all the cards,always has,if the Europeans could have they would have long ago.This will go nowhere,and Europe is turning more and more anti-islam.This is a last gasp attempt at the older version of European diplomacy.Israel is getting stronger and more independent every year.This is more of the same from European diplomats working hard to secure Arab contracts for various European companies.
that means negotiations with an end to all claims
Where were the Europeans when Jordan illegally occupied eastern Jerusalem (artificially deviding Jerusalem) and refused to allow Jews to enter, in violation of the armistice agreement? Let them be quiet now as they were then, and may the Muslims soon take over their capitals.
I suggest you get a brain and learn compassion. otherwise the arabs will not tolerate your presents and you will get a real war.
the point is why did the EU not censure a certain Arab action and when Israelis do a lot less, THEY are censured. If you already have a brain, learn logic.
EU didnt exist back then. So i my humble question is, how would it be possible for EU to take actions, react etc. before it existed?
United Jerusalem is Israel's eternal capital- exclusively.
One of the most laughable things on this website is to see the more paranoid Zionists screaming that the EU is anti-semitic and run by Muslims. In reality the EU because of Europe's huge guilt over the Holocaust has been reluctant to do anything at all against Israel. While the settlements have expanded the EU has instead steadily increased cooperation with Israel on such matters as trade, science and culture. It has sometimes criticise Israel but very rarely actualy DONE anything. I do suspect though that now, though the EU's patience with Israel is almost at an end. Nothing's limitless and Bibi and Lieberman and their extremist government would try the patience of Mother Theresa.
Who are you kidding about guilt? Only the Germans have shown any remorse the rest are comfortably in semi denial about the part they played. For Britains part in the Holocaust why not read Churchills biographer Martin Gilbert from Merton College .Oxford Here is the Colonial office approach on 7 Dec 1942 " familiar stuff.the Jews have spoilt their case by laying it on too thick for years past.."
Then you have to go back to December 1942 for some comment on the Holocaust. This is at a time you may remember when little was known for sure about the true horrors of the Holocaust and when Britain was involved in a life or death struggle with a Nazi Germany at the height of its power and occupying Europe from the Spanish frontier to the Caucasus. Pete, what's the point of making such a weak case with such weak evidence? If you genuinely think the EU is actively and passionately anti-Israel there ought to be lots of evidence, not this collection of feeble scraps. p.s. In 1948 you may also remember Britain has just had experienced a prolonged Jewish terrotist campaign in Palestine, so not even you can expect it to have been pasisonately pro-Israel then.
Dolce vita in East Jerusalem on my and other taxpayers money.
Can one construe this as possibly putting Israel on a strict diet? Oh the rich irony of it all.
while it doesn't recognize west-jerusalem as israeli capital?
the member states of the european union are being torn appart by two camps: on the one hand, the islamists supported by the left, and on the other hand, the old fascist parties nostalgic for past glory. in between these two totalitarian ideologies, israel will be squeezed.
I know it is not nice to laugh at other people, but your attempt to analyze the EU despite being totally ignorant of its internal affairs was very funny. There is no large political Islamist movement in Europe, certainly not on EU level. And as for fascism; Israel's fascist parties have *much* more influence than European ones, and Israel's policies are more in line with fascism than those of any EU country that I can think of.
eu member states are seeing a significant resurgence of classic fascism: le front national, jobik, bnp, german neonazis, far right in norway, italy, austria, holland. the movement toward the far right is in direct response to the left's appeasement policies of islamists. the islamists may not be large in number, but they are willing to use terror to impose their views. they will murder anyone who dares criticise islam and the prophet. it is obvious that the islamists have already undermined europe's fragile democracies.
First of all, there is no "left appeasement policy of Islamists". The parties you mention are nationalist and racist populist parties that get votes by demagoguery and a reliance on people's xenophobia. In fact you are doing the very same thing here, with your riling against "Islamists". People who hold the views that you ascribe to Islamists are extremely rare in Europe, yet you are speaking as if this group has any kind of influence. This is completely false, the only impact this group has is that it occasionally makes some kind of terrorist act, and more people die from car-crashes every day than in one of those. Anyway if you want to discuss nationalist and racist parties which show concrete signs of classical fascism, why not just talk about Israel, where this definition would include the current government (50+%) rather than Europe where these parties are about 10% in size, and fairly stable. By the way, as a great analyst of the EU you might want to note that Norway is not a member-state.
There's something true about what you write, although I would accentuate it differently. Some people complain about lacking integration on muslim side, while the "autochtonous" Europeans themselves (at least the French and Germans which I know best of all) have many violent traits I think. I need my own moments to be apart from the competing ranters, which we all are. The muslims may well have their own moments. The German ethics and laws also focus much on the father-mother-children-family and hinder integration not only for immigrants. At the moment I'm sometimes writing in forums that "we have common laws, but that we cannot ask for further cultural assimilation".Last but not least, the muslims certainly don't belong to the wealthier classes, which can easier talk (their own) morality. The present economically liberal politics in many European countries probably do not improve this situation, either. And yes, there's the nationalist and conservative section, which seems to be split: some go to Israel to get blessings for their hatred against Turcs and Arabs, Others are anti-Jewish racists or refuse judaism for religious motives. No doubt that we have to continue working in Europe to counter these mindsets. But at present, I still feel that it's rather the Palestinians than Israel which are being squeezed, although they themselves are not blameless for their weakness: Infighting and counterproductive cooperations, but you probably understand that it would be quite arrogant by a European, like I am one, too, to ask especially them for still greater strength of will and autonomy, don't you?
the palestinians most certainly should be asked that they return to direct negotiations with israel. it is very unwise to encourage them to think that they will get a state on a silver platter. briefly on europe: democratic traditions are quite weak on the continent. the fascists and communists had replaced the old monarchies and the church as the major political forces. the democratic institutions of the post war period hide an undercurrent of the old ways.
Is that really a state on a silverplate? The only people who got a state on a silverplate is the Israelis. The western world gave it to them but it wasnt enough, they wanted more and stole land from their weakest Neighbours. Sad to see the peaceful Israelis in the hand of a warmongering and landstealing Knesset
... in the light of the lasgt few weeks in Israeli politics, to read an Israeli claiming that democratic traditions are weak in Europe.
Send them back to Europe. There is no point to tolerate their hostility, especially when it does not represent the official position of their government.
They do represent their governments. It is just that they do not represent the Israeli government position and you are not used to that.
That'll do wonders for Israel's standing, expelling every EU ambassador. Are you related to Lieberman, by any chance?
Let the EU return to their Bible and go back to school. Jerusalem was the Capital of the Jew is the capital of the Jews and will remain the capital of the Jews. The Muslim would conquered the capital and neglected it. The Christians conquered it and did nothing with it. But when the Jews were handed back part of the holy Land, Jerusalem flourished. When Jordan had the east of the city they only barred Jews from the old city and kept the Palestinian under poor conditions. So get a life and stop bothering us with your attempt to remove the holy city from our Jewish hands! Jerusalem is our Capital and will never be the Capital of another nation!
As you've pointed out, Jerusalem has passed through many hands and it will again!
Jerusalem is essential to all three religions and does not 'belong' exclusively to one of them ie Judaism.
Israel knows what is best for Israel, and does not need the EU approval.Tiny Israel must defend itslef on all borders from arab terrorists. EU should be ashamed.
great.... now Tibet will be helped too? Will all European diplomats refuse to visit China?
china is in no way as dependent on europe as israel is ... we don't send over buckets of money to china to 'defend' themselves ... besides that noone said that we wouldn't visit Israel nomore ... just not east-jerusalem as your capital ... for now
of Jerusalem, is like the fox acknowledging the right of chickens to live free of predation. This stance is amazing give the long term and recent history of Christians and Jews in Arab countries.
Great news are piling up, from Latin America to Europe.
The the European "diplomats" are really disturbed by the fact that the Knesset decided to investigate how the European money is used by the "NGOs" against the IDF and the State of Israel. Good. The country must know its enemies and name them publicly, one by one.
PM and Foreign Minister? or settlers? I am split between both
The European consuls were in fact so worried by that investigation that they predicted that it would happen even before it was decided. And they wrote and released the report before it was ever mentioned. Grasping for straws, are we?
The enemies are those who fund the organizations responsible for lies and libel against the IDF.
Exactly. They are extremely worried. The investment of millions of Euro into the destruction of Israel may be in vain. What a disappointment for them.
And Jules, you do not see a problem with the time-line here? To us who live in the real world it seems a little odd that EU consuls are able to tell the future. I am especially surprised by the ability to predict the actions of the very erratic Knesset. I mean these consuls and their fortune-telling must be a huge strategic asset, wth are they doing as consuls in Israel?
Well, difficult to say... Some EU step are utterly illogical. I have just heard that Baroness Ashton received some 30,000 Euros per month as wages. For that money a software development company can employ ten young hard-working engineers. The benefit to the humanity would be incomparable to the Baroness's activities.
They are not friends anyway. Good riddance.
It was getting farcical, all these EU officials 'condemning' GOI policies in the the West Bank and East Jerusalem with no change to the expansion beyond the green line. The EU is Israel's biggest trading partner, if this is the start of a move towards sanctions Israel will be the loser.
Whenever criminals set foot in any nation that is a member of the United Nations, these member states need to enforce the law. Arrest them.
more importantly, how would they arrest them? do you dispose of several million well armed troops for your little adventure?
and isn't a real estate agent.
My God says it is my capital. Will you move now? My holy book mentions Jerusalem hundreds of times on each page, doesn't that mean that I have a divine right to use military force to remove anyone living there?
Alan, I'm really sorry for bringing the bad news but you should really wake up now. Your country cannot conduct policies driven by bronze-age myths of gods and other fantasies.
OK. No God no myths. Why do you need this town, which is not too big and not too nice? Do you like Jerusalem? Try taking it by force. Is military force still real in our century?
a lot of things, including how to treat the foreigners among you, "for you were once aliens".
This should highlight Euro-bigotry in fine fashion - they want to regard eastern Jerusalem as capital of the non-existant PA state, but not accept the existing Israeli capital in J'lem that has been there for 63 years. And since EU wants to pre-determine final status issues in this way, without the negotiations that UNSC242 requuires, tell EU that Israel considers all its Road Map obligations null and void until EU is booted from the Quartet, that Ashton is persona non grata in israel andbarred from crossing on or over Israeli soil to reach any PA institutions. Naauseating EU bigotry is a perfect exampleofwhy there must be a Jewish State of Israel with sovereignty over Jewish holy places in Jerusalem, which EU wants to return to Arab control and shut off from all Jewish worship.
the Jews will be when their homeland is within 1967 borders and their capital can be anything other then all of Jerusalem. What a cross to bear.
UNSC242 was repeled in 2002. See UNSC1860.
That approach will do a lot for Israel's standing. Whose side are you really on?
The writing is on the wall for those that can read.
why dont you palestinians get an education, read a book on how to speak english and move to america. .
Jerusalem is the Palestinian Capital. The Arabs were never called Palestinians. The Romans changed the name Israel to Palestine and the Jews were called Palestinians. During WW2 the Jewish Brigade fought alongside the British Forces against the German and Arab Forces. They were known as the Palestinian Brigade. The British and USA Foreign Office will not acknowledge this now because of their agenda.
The foundation of the West was Rome. Along with their religion, Christianity. Its interesting that you mention that Jews fought for Palestine at one point.
How can anyone take the EU seriously? If the EU can't recognize West Jerusalem as Israel's capital, how can they suggest that East Jerusalem be the capital of a State that is being forced out of hatred, violence & terrorism.
...is against the UN resolution. Israel does, but why should Eu or even US break the International law or UN resolutions? West Jerusalem belongs to Israel already and not even EU denie this.
What UN resolution?
Only it will all backfire on them. Jerusalem will remain united, but Paris and all the other European capitals will become Moslem. Throwing Israel to the wolves won't help them now just as it didn't help them in 1938 when they fed Czechoslovakia to the Nazis. Every step they take against Israel will bring not Israel, but Europe, closer to its own self-destruction. We're still waiting for these people to explain why giving land to the Arab terrorists doesn't stop the cross border attacks, as in Gaza and Lebanon. Before exporting that disaster to the West Bank, maybe these so-called "diplomats" should tackle those problems first. But of course it's easier to kick around Israel than to challenge the Arab world, particularly since they're about to become part of it. Good luck.
I would assume then that the 'Old Jewish Quarters' in Bethlehem & Jerrico would become part of Israel.....
Those same radicals who don't think that the Jews have a right to Jerusalem would probably also like to see islamic law become the rule of law throughout the Euroopean lands. Europe, consumed with Islamic agitators, sides against Israel. That is no surprise.
Most people fighting for Palestinians in Europe are not Muslims- they are ordinary Europeans who are sick of watching Israeli violence and barbarity year after year; there is no 'Eurabia', it is all in your over-active imagination.
That is about as silly and paranoid as believing in the Protocols of the elders of Zion. You are in great historical company Joshua!
Mr Howard, your comment is completely uninformed by any facts. It tries to use falsehoods to divert discourse from facts.
Palestine sits clothed in sackcloth and ashes, the author Mark Twain earlier wrote, but he wouldn't have to be downbeat in the least if the Jews had returned en mass to the land by then. These EU diplomats are conceding East Jerusalem to the same "moderate" Palestinians that are willing to publicly and shamelessly state that there is no connection between Jerusalem and the Jewish people throughout history. They do this when they don't even yet have jurisdiction over part of Jerusalem as they envision, imagine what they'll say and do if they ever do get this wish?
but instead they do not ask for charity, they are a proud people, unlike the isrlies like yourself.
Over 40% of Israeli arabs receive some form of welfare from the Jewish state, why do you think they don't want to move to Jordan?
The capital of Israel is Jerusalem. Leaving out the religious aspect for now why is not recognised as such by the world? Not even West Jerusalem before 1967 was recognised as the capital. And now the Europeans want to treat Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state! Words fail me
Even US has never regognized the illegal unification of Jerusalem .
capital of Israel, that should tell you that Israel is doing something wrong. I bet you anything if Israel does the right thing and pulls out of East Jerusalem and stops planting settlers at the expense of Palestinians' livelihood acknowledging the Palestinians right to it, the world will immediately acknowledge that Israel's West Jerusalem is Israel's capital. Furthermore, it is so naive to say "leaving out the religious aspect for now" .
they should stop causing trouble. Jerusalem belongs to palestinian.
When the arabs had east Jerusalem prior to 67 they tried to destroy anything not moslem.Even now they are tryoing to eradicate anything remotely to do with Judaism thew waqf is an orginisation that is commiting crimes against history.Jerusalem is under Jewish rule so say what you want but it will remain.Jerusalem has been in the hearts of us Jews since the destruction of the temple now we have it we will never let it go again it is ours now and was always ours.WE are happy to let others freely worship in our city but never will anyone take it from our control again ever.Am Yisroel Chai .Jews were massacred by arabs in Jerusalem pre 48 arabs used jewish gravestoones for their toilets and roads they ripped down our religious buildings and tried to erase our historyPlease name one place where Jews built a synagogue on top of a mosque or church .The dome of the rock was built to try and erase the history there and al;so to try too prove who was the superior race well tuff we rule Jerusalem .
is back on track strongest as ever after the war...
Ilana please do not confuse the 2!!!!!!!!!! Not approving Zionist Policies and the brutal Zionist Regime.... Does not mean that one does not recognize Judaisim as a faith !!!!!
Same old same old. When your position is indefensible, just blame "Anti-semitism". Its much easier than trying to justify or explain Israel's wrongful treatment of E. Jerusalem Arabs.
Antisemitism has nothing to do with it, that argument just doesn't hold water anymore. There are tons of Jews in the US and all over the WORLD that are sick of Israeli's continuous breaking of promises in the peace process. Israel represents Zionists, not Jews, stop hijacking Judaism for Israel. The Israeli right's anti-islam/islamophobic diatribes are much more prevelant than antisemitism right now.
are systematically "anti-semictic". You should maybe question yourself. this is about justice, not anti-semitism. setllers are conducting illegal activities, that's the bottom line. those consuls are just reporting the irregularities being observed, the laws are violated. Israel so far has legally no right to east Jerusalem. are you that short sighted that you cannot see right from wrong any longer?
Do you really have to hold that absurd argument? It has lost its validity a really long time ago.
"Anti-semitism" defense holds no water anymore. Generations of today and tomorrow are not responsible for the Holocaust, therefore apealing to the sense of guilt in order to get your way doesn't work anymore. And it will fork less and less in the future. You are treated according to your actions and actions alone. No conspiracy, no hate, no anti-semitism, only merit. Get used to it.
The Palestinians never build anything for themselves. For the past 70 years they have expected everyone else to do everything for them. First, all the other arab states fought for them in 1948, then 1967 happens...A slap in the face to the Arab world. Anybody who doesn't realize that Israel is fighting for its own survival is blind. All those apposed to Israel's right to self defense are by definition condoning the killing of jews. How is that NOT antisemitic?
The situation looks like a lite version of Sarajevo or Srebrenica. The Settlers do a good impression of Serbs so far.
You are right on the spot Mark. Both show the same mindset. Wolves in victims coats. Always protesting that they are endangered by the other side, while at the same time they are commiting ethnic cleansing. Having survived Sarajevo, I know how that feels.
Jerusalem does not have a "Christian" heritage.
King David untied both Israel and Judea ( west bank) over 3,000 years ago.
i can't believe it has taken this long to happen. the israelis are in direct violation of the 4th geneva convention, which they themselves are a party to, every moment that they colonize east jerusalem and the west bank. now that the americans are the only ones who tolerate (although they're officially "opposed" to) israeli settlement buildings, perhaps obama and friends will FINALLY get the message... it's time to choose. either continue enabling this blatant illegality, or side with the rest of the developed world and help get your friend to give up the ghost.
I agree 100% with you! It is about time!
Which the Arab armies and their mercenaries accomplished in 1948.
Read it again: Art 49 prohibits the "forcible transfer" of the occupied **out** of occupied territory,but that same Article places an UNCONDITIONAL prohibition on the transfer of Israelis **into** Israeli-occupied territory i.e. it makes absolutely no distinction between "forcible" and "voluntary" settlement of occupied territory. Either. One. Is. Unconditionally. Prohibited.
Arabs have the oil and Europeans have no balls.
Israelis are not transferred they go voluntarily.
...this must be the result of the work of human rights organisations, it certainly can't have anything to do with israeli policies and actions...
and wrong on the second.
and move their embassies etc. to west jerusalem?
If you'll want to take your kids to visit the Western Wall, you'll have to ask permission from a UN soldier. Maybe German or Polish.
If you want west-jerusalem to be the capital of Israel you need to accept to divide it. Nobody will ever recognize "Jerusalem" as the capital. Once you have agreed borders based on 1967 as everybody asks, nobody will have a problem with "west-jerusalem" being the capital.
EU Embasssies in West Jerusalem for the independant and democratic state of Israel. EU Embassies in West Jerusalem for the independent and and democratic state of Palestine. At last , some logical solutions comming out of the EU.
jews can never hope anything from europe.
East Jerusalem was never part of Palestine according to the partition plan. No one dares cross his mind from banning Jews from the Eastern side of the city where the Western Wall is and where Jews have been living non stop for thousands of years.
and not one bit about STATE SOVEREIGNTY. It is therefore completely silent on the question of wether (or not) any part of Jerusalem should be regarded as "Israeli territory". It says only what it says i.e. Jerusalem is a city with a strong Jewish heritage, a strong Muslim heritage, and a strong Christian heritage, and the Arabs should acknowledge that fact.
They also totally blockaded Jerusalem not allowing food or water and machine gunning a medical team they captured. Where do you get your "progressive" history from?
Which do you prefer checkpoints for jihadist martyr wannabees or getting killed for praying
West Jerusalem was never part of Israel according to the partition plan.
Corpus separatum was never instituted ..Jerusalem is still legally a part of Palestine
Islam and Christianity came from Judaism,Fact both religions believe in the so called old testament it is Jewish,factJerusalem has always and is the most holy site in Judaism.fact Jews were and have been in Jerusalem well before islam and christianity.Fact Jewish heritage many times stronger in Jerusalem than any other faith .All faiths and all people bar the modern arabs have acknowledged that Jerusalem is the most important place for Jews in the world a place that they have longed to return for two thousand or so years .Fact the city was built by Jews.Fact the wakf has tried to destroy all Jewish connections to the temple mount .Starting with buikding their own building on top of the holiest place on earth for uis Jews this was done to try and eradicate us from the city .Fact ancient history mentions the Jews and the Egyptians Romans Phenoecian Phillistines Canaanites Greeks Babylonians but absolutely no mention of muslims or Palestinians .The Romans fought who in Palestine oh and the crusaders fought Jews and arabs from other areas of the middle east like saladin etc .Jewish familys lived in east Jerusalem opre 48 their were massacres there and then they were forced to leave or die. AS i have said elsewhere Jerusalem is under Jewish control now fact like it or not .ANd i will reiterate Islam and christianity are newcomers Judaism predates them both by a long time so obviously Jewish heritage in Jerusalem is a lot stronger.On a final note i canguarantee you that if Jerusalem was not under Jewish rule no Jews would be allowed at the western wall .However Muslims are allowed at the dome of the rock and al asqua and christians are allowed into their churches.Oh how many synagogues and churches are allowed at Mecca Jews were there before Islam as they were in most arab countrys. I could go on about how israel is looking after muslim refugees better than any arab country but that would only be nitpicking. Shaom alechein salam alekem Yallah Imshi.
If Israel accepts Palestinian sovereignty over the overwhelmingly Palestinian East Jerusalem, then sure, the EU and the Palestinians will accept Israeli sovereignty over the mainly Jewish areas. And both countries will need to make arrangements to protect their minorities from persecution (both Israel and the Arabs have form!), and to ensure access to holy sites.
Things have changed a lot in 3000 years
America, the dishonest broker that it is, will do everything in its power to prevent these recommendations form ever seeing the light of day. Remember, America does not share the EU's sentiments on settlements. Settlements are not considered illegal by the U.S., and it can be argued that Obama nonchalance has actually done more to spread settlement activity than any of his predecessors. Bottom line, America perpetuates the occupation and tacitly approves settlement building and military action against Palestinians. Anyone who believes otherwise looks at the world through rose-colored spectacles.
Israel is a foreign power, created by and of foreign powers, trying to dismember Palestine. They already cut it in half, separating one region from another. Please stop inciting against them. People are being murdered.
It is Occupied Territory, a military status that does not permit annexation of land, settlement or demolition of the indigenous people's homes. Israel has no legal or sovereign rights there at all so the EU is perfectly correct.
Israel is dismantel herself no one have to do it! About murder? is more israel murder palestinian then the other way around, second go back to your side and stop occupy and taken land not yours and will be no problem left!