Quote:
Israelis are willing to divide Jerusalem
By ANDY SOLTIS
Last Updated: 8:37 AM, September 2, 2010
Posted: 3:26 AM, September 2, 2010
Israel is willing to make a sweeping concession -- dividing control of Jerusalem -- as part of a historic final peace pact with Palestinians, a key Cabinet member revealed yesterday.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak signaled that his government is ready to drop its demand that even after the creation of a Palestinian state, Jerusalem would "remain the undivided capital of Israel."
"West Jerusalem and 12 Jewish neighborhoods that are home to 200,000 [Israeli] residents will be ours," Barak told the newspaper Haaretz.
"The Arab neighborhoods in which close to a quarter million Palestinians live will be theirs," he added, referring to the eastern part of the city that was captured from Jordan in the 1967 Mideast war.
Barak is a former Israeli prime minister who tried to reach a "final status" agreement with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in the last days of Bill Clinton's administration. He blamed the talks' failure on Arafat's refusal to compromise on Jerusalem.
Privately, even hawkish Israeli officials have acknowledged for years that a comprehensive peace deal would likely have to allow the Palestinians to make east Jerusalem their capital and hand them control over part of the city.
But publicly, they insist the city that is holy to Jews, Muslims and Christians must not be cut up by politicians.
The emotional issue has dominated Israeli politics for years and even flared up during the last US presidential campaign.
In June 2008, then-Sen. Barack Obama won thunderous applause at a Washington convention of the leading pro-Israel lobbying group, AIPAC, by declaring, "Jerusalem will remain the capital [of Israel] and it must remain undivided."
Obama later backtracked and said he accepted the longstanding US policy -- that the city's future must be decided by negotiations.
Barak told Haaretz there is a way to finesse the issue of who controls some of Jerusalem's holiest sites.
"There will be a 'special regime' in place along with agreed upon arrangements in the Old City, the Mount of Olives and the City of David," he said.
Barak didn't spell out what that means.
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Israel is willing to give up east Jerusalem in final deal, key official says - NYPOST.com
Well, isn't this an interesting turn of events. It appears that Israel is making a big more toward peace with this concession. Will it be enough? How much remains to be done?
Although to me this comes as good news, I'm not holding my breath or investing much in hope. This has been a long and brutal ordeal for both parties. However, I'm one to have faith in turning points, and I hope this is such a thing. After all, who would have thought the Troubles in Ireland would have a breakthrough?
What do you think? Is this going to lead to significant advances in the creation of a Palestinian state?