East Jerusalem Settlers Spark Clashes
The AP reports,
Jewish settlers with assault rifles slung over their shoulders moved into two buildings in a crowded Arab neighborhood of Jerusalem on Wednesday, sparking clashes between Israeli troops and Arab residents.
Palestinians, who claim east Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, condemned the incident, saying it proved Israel was more interested in expanding settlements than in making peace.
Israel says it will never relinquish the sector of the city it captured from Jordan in the 1967 Mideast war. In recent years, hawkish Jewish groups, with the backing of hardline governments and foreign investors, have bought several east Jerusalem properties to strengthen Israel’s hold there. [Emphasis added.]
Except that Barak offered sharing sovereignty over East Jerusalem to the Palestinians at Camp David and Arafat turned it down…
In related news, Israeli troops scuffled with settlers near Hebron today who were protesting the dismantling of two abandoned outposts.
It’s high time we made the OldCity the first truly international city, administered by the UN — and the UN’s official capital HQ.
It’s inevitable, settler provocations as mere case in point.
.rob adams
I’m not so sure I would trust the UN to control the Old City.
Barak : “What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine”