Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Acting PM Silvan Shalom: Jerusalem will not be divided

(Ynet).US President Barack Obama's plan to present a new Mideast peace initiative, that will reportedly include making east Jerusalem the capital of a future Palestinian state, was at the center of Wednesday's Knesset plenum session on Jerusalem Day.

Acting Prime Minister Silvan Shalom said, "Jerusalem will not be divided. Jerusalem will forever remain the eternal capital of the State of Israel. This is not a promise, this is a fact."

Shalom, who was standing in for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on his way back to Israel from Washington, added, "For every single Jew, Jerusalem is not just a capital city.

"Jerusalem is the beating heart of the Jewish people. Jerusalem is a symbol. Jerusalem is protected by the current government and previous governments' clear policy. We will never give up Jerusalem. Never."

The minister continued to say that "we disagree on many matters, but there is one thing that the overwhelming majority of us agree on without hesitation: Keeping Jerusalem as the State of Israel's eternal capital. There are no two Jerusalems. There is one Jerusalem. Jerusalem will never be up for compromise."