The EU to Divide Jerusalem?

EU foreign ministers call for Jerusalem to be the future capital of both Israel and a future Palestinian state. The Israelis feel that such statements ignore the issues with negotiations at hand and might prompt the Palestinians to enter negotiations with preconditions (Israel will not negotiate with the Palestinians with preconditions on either side). The original statement was issued just after Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu froze settlement construction in order to resume negotiations- an offer rejected by the Palestinians. Mayor Barkat of Jerusalem completely rejects the statement, citing the 20th anniversary of Reunification in Berlin as an example of how a divided city will never work. The American Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations denounces the statement on behalf of all faithful Jews in the United States. The European Jewish Congress president Kantor says that the statement sends a message to the Palestinians that they will receive everything on a silver platter, even as they continuously ignore Israeli attempts to negotiate free of preconditions. The EU is completely ignoring that the Arabs denied Jews and Christians access to and desecrated their holy sites the last time they had control over the Old City whereas under Jewish rule, Arabs and Christians have their holy sites protected and can access them. The EU is forfeiting its role as a constructive party in resolving the Israeli-Arab conflict.

By Rebecca M. Samson