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Israeli youths waving Israeli flags during a march celebrating Jerusalem Day in the streets of Jerusalem.
 (AP)
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Last update - 00:43 22/05/2009
Netanyahu: Jerusalem holy sites will remain Israeli forever
By Haaretz Service and News Agencies
Tags: Israel News, Netanyahu, Obama 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Thursday that all of Jerusalem would always remain under Israeli sovereignty, in comments likely to spark consternation among Palestinians who hope to make the city the capital of a future state.

"Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish people, a city reunified so as never again to be divided," Netanyahu said at a ceremony to mark Jerusalem Day in the city's Mercaz Harav yeshiva. "Our people's unparalleled affinity to Jerusalem has spanned thousands of years, and is at the basis of our national renaissance. It has united our people, secular and religious people alike."

The Mercaz Harav rabbinic college is the most prominent yeshiva in the religious Zionist world. It was central in shaping the evolution of religious Zionism. In March last year, a Palestinian gunman gained entrance to the yeshiva and killed eight students.
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Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin also spoke at the ceremony at Mercaz Harav. He said that Israeli sovereignty of Jerusalem is not negotiable.

"The world must recognize our sovereignty, as well as the primacy of the Jewish people in the holy sites, as our inalienable right," Rivlin said.

Jerusalem Day celebrates the conquest of the city during the 1967 Six Day War, before which Jordan controlled east Jerusalem, while Israel had the western section. Shortly after the war, Israel annexed east Jerusalem.

Earlier on Thursday, Netanyahu said similar things at a state ceremony to mark the day.

"United Jerusalem is Israel's capital. Jerusalem was always ours and will always be ours. It will never again be partitioned and divided," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu said he had made the same declaration during his recent visit to Washington, where he met with United States President Barack Obama over the peace process and Iran's nuclear program.

"Only under Israeli sovereignty will united Jerusalem ensure the freedom of religion and freedom of access for the three religions to the holy places," Netanyahu added.

The ceremony took place at Ammunition Hill in east Jerusalem, site of one of the bloodiest battles in the city in the 1967 war, situated now in a Jewish neighborhood.

Palestinians: Netanyahu's comments invite 'eternal' conflict

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said later Thursday that Netanyahu's position on Jerusalem was a setback to the goal of a two-state solution, which is strongly supported by the Obama administration.

"Mr. Netanyahu, by saying that, he's saying the state of conflict will be eternal," Erekat said.

Rafik Husseini, an aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, issued a similar rejection of Netanyahu's stand. He said the Palestinians have accepted a two-state solution based on east Jerusalem as the capital of their state.

"Israeli occupation of east Jerusalem is illegal," he told The Associated Press, adding that an Israeli attempt to keep control of east Jerusalem would be a major obstacle to peace.

In his speech, Netanyahu echoed remarks made by President Shimon Peres, who said earlier at the ceremony that, "Israel will never have another capital other than Jerusalem, and Jerusalem will never be the capital of another people."

Peres stressed that Jerusalem was and remained Israel's capital, and spoke of the days before the Six Day war when Jews had limited access to the Old City.

"When Jerusalem was in non-Jewish hands, the Jews weren't allowed to pray at the holy sites; but under Jewish control, it is open to all faiths, and all prayers," he said.


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      1.   Jerusalem 20:14  |  Fredy Ross 21/05/09
      2.   net 20:15  |  drew 21/05/09
      3.   great news for peace!!! 20:16  |  Adam 21/05/09
      4.   Oh, really Mr. Netanyahu? 20:17  |  Manny Goldstein 21/05/09
      5.   Excellent Assurance from PM 21:22  |  Brod 21/05/09
      6.   "Land for Piss" is finally dead 21:23  |  Vitaly 21/05/09
      7.   Rhetoric 21:28  |  Argo 21/05/09
      8.   Jerusalem 21:32  |  steven rosenfeld 21/05/09
      9.   JESUSALEN 21:32  |  JESUSALEN 21/05/09
      10.   No Debate 21:33  |  Bob 21/05/09
      11.   Yes really, Mr Goldstein 21:34  |  yona 21/05/09
      12.   Jerusalem Is Ours 21:35  |  Paul 21/05/09
      13.   Jerusalem since liberation 00:58  |  MichaelF 22/05/09
      14.   Likud says: I wish I wish I wish I wish it were true! 01:15  |  Johnboy 22/05/09
      15.   This Should Be About the Welfare of People ... 01:21  |  Brad 22/05/09
      16.   Erekat knows that splitting Jerusalem is not on the table 01:31  |  ZISD 22/05/09
      17.   Jerusalem 01:34  |  Dan Kennedy 22/05/09
      18.   What choice has Netanyahu? 01:45  |  Mark Lincoln 22/05/09
      19.   Its about time a Prime Minister has declared that 01:54  |  ROBOCOP 22/05/09
      20.   Put the Old City under joint control 02:10  |  bronxite10 22/05/09
      21.   Neten. yahoo is a Liar! 02:11  |  CaptAhab 22/05/09
      22.   #4 Manny 02:22  |  Harold 22/05/09
      23.   You Rock Mr. Natanyahu! J`lm stays Jewish & undivided 02:34  |  Rachel 22/05/09
      24.   Manny Goldstein your opinion is irrelevant 02:46  |  Rachel 22/05/09
      25.   Peres: "Under Jewish control, it is open to all faiths" 02:53  |  Tarik 22/05/09
      26.   Mark Lincoln 03:00  |  Now you speak 22/05/09
      27.   CaptAhab - does not remember in pre 67 ... 03:13  |  CaptJew 22/05/09
      28.   Finnally the rigt words from an israeli PM 03:20  |  DISRAELI 22/05/09
      29.   Something, somehere, is missing! 03:26  |  CaptAhab 22/05/09
      30.   Tarik - you must be kidding!!! 03:27  |  a Jew 22/05/09
      31.   Jerusalem 04:00  |  The Gentile 22/05/09
      32.   Ourshalim 04:11  |  Hassan Allahvardi 22/05/09
      33.   i understand netaniauh position 04:17  |  paulo2005 22/05/09
      34.   to #4 06:42  |  Yakov 22/05/09
      35.   Why don`t you people understand 08:09  |  Mohammad 22/05/09
      36.   Jerusalem the Only Holie place to Judaisn. 08:16  |  Mario Sala 22/05/09
      37.   Not just Jerusalem but all Israel!!! 09:09  |  Jilbert Agron 22/05/09
      38.   To Goldstein 09:24  |  David Woolf 22/05/09
      39.   Hassan 09:35  |  David Woolf 22/05/09
      40.   Mr.Goldstein 09:36  |  Connie 22/05/09
      41.   `Jerusalem was always ours`. Well, no actually. 10:19  |  Michael 22/05/09
      42.   Bibl: "Jerusalem was always ours..." REALLY? 10:38  |  Kol ha-Nevi`im 22/05/09
      43.   Like today, I suppose 10:45  |  Chanalau, Tova 22/05/09
      44.   TO # 32 I CHALLENGE YOU 10:49  |  Observer 22/05/09
      45.   Nuttyyahoo is trying a different tact 11:04  |  Chris Linthwaite 22/05/09
      46.   # 32 This is the truth 11:15  |  Kamal 22/05/09
      47.   #42 11:17  |  Enrico 22/05/09
      48.   never say "never" 11:19  |  Reuben Aaron 22/05/09
      49.   #14 Johnboy of SW Sydney 11:29  |  elimelech 22/05/09
      50.   #42 concerning the meaning of THEFT 11:34  |  elimelech 22/05/09
      51.   who will make us leave 11:36  |  yanush 22/05/09
      52.   Tarik #25 11:36  |  JoJo 22/05/09
      53.   A proposal 11:40  |  Enrico 22/05/09
      54.   Jewish, United & Eternal ! 11:53  |  Akram Zekaria 22/05/09
      55.   to Reuben Aaron # 46 11:54  |  Samy 22/05/09
      56.   Jerusalem Is Israel`s Capital forever Yes!!! 12:29  |  Steve 22/05/09
      57.   There have to be compromises 12:38  |  John Q. Public 22/05/09
      58.   Elimilech #50: Who did the ancient Israelites steal the land from 12:39  |  Kol ha-Nevi`im 22/05/09
      59.   Bibi, wake up and smell the hummous... 12:46  |  Kol ha-Nevi`im 22/05/09
      60.   Have I Got News for You 12:49  |  Marcel Pfister 22/05/09
      61.   #50 So there you have it 14:21  |  elimelech 22/05/09
      62.   Kol ha-Nevi`im # 42 Your List 14:23  |  Jeff Northridge 22/05/09
      63.   #50 the canaanites, the jesubites the... 14:28  |  elimelech 22/05/09
      64.   jerusalem 14:42  |  ron 22/05/09
      65.   Marcel #60: Your statement shows YOU are cut off - from reality 15:02  |  Kol ha-Nevi`im 22/05/09
      66.   LEAVE PALESTINIANS FREE THAN HAVE JERUSALEM FOREVER 15:12  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 22/05/09
      67.   Netanyahu is just grandstanding 15:19  |  Matty Groves 22/05/09
      68.   partition 15:38  |  oz 22/05/09
      69.   funny old name ELImelekh.is it as purely genetic as you demand? 15:42  |  malkitsedek shalem 22/05/09
      70.   kol ha nevi`im 15:51  |  oz 22/05/09
      71.   Nice try Bibi, no cigar 15:55  |  O-Dog 22/05/09
      72.   #3;Adam`s idea of peace.... 16:05  |  DOC HOLLIDAY 22/05/09
      73.   Atilla Karagözoğlu - the pals are free to leave 16:34  |  Rashid 22/05/09
      74.   Matty Groves goes off a tangent@67..Wrong There Matty 19:50  |  Whiskey/Bravo 22/05/09
      75.   O-Dog # 71 Twisted, Grungy Crud 20:15  |  Jeff Northridge 22/05/09
      76.   Yerushalayim is Jewish 20:48  |  Yoav Ben Zakai 22/05/09
      77.   This is precisely why Israel is doomed. 20:52  |  Eric 22/05/09
      78.   To O-Dog@71 ,...A PROPERDOG YOU ARE INDEED.BUT! 20:52  |  Whiskey/Bravo 22/05/09
      79.   Continued 20:54  |  Yoav Ben Zakai 22/05/09
      80.   chanalau 21:04  |  Connie 22/05/09
      81.   Good Luck 21:05  |  abizaid 22/05/09
      82.   Jerusalem 21:28  |  No Name 22/05/09
      83.   Jerusalem 22:56  |  Hassan Allahvardi 22/05/09
      84.   holy sites or all of East Jerusalem 23:10  |  Shelley 22/05/09
      85.   HELLO HAARETZ HAD A WONDERFUL TIME IN ISRAEL DANNY SHABBAT SHALOM 23:14  |  DANNY 22/05/09
      86.   TO NO 3. ADAM 23:16  |  DANNY 22/05/09
      87.   TO NO 4 MANNY 23:18  |  DANNY 22/05/09
      88.   TO BROD USA 23:19  |  DANNY 22/05/09
      89.   TO MICHEAL NO 13. 23:26  |  DANNY 22/05/09
      90.   TO JO JO NO 52. 23:42  |  DANNY 22/05/09
      91.   Jerusalem should be all jewish 00:42  |  Witness 23/05/09
      92.   To@65 &@ 58 & @59 I say This to you.Why? 00:58  |  Whiskey/Bravo 23/05/09
      93.   Stop your Censoship Haaretz 01:04  |  Yoav Ben Zakai 23/05/09
      94.   Stop your Censorship Haaretz#2 01:05  |  Yoav Ben Zakai 23/05/09
      95.   bible a fraud 01:14  |  i am 23/05/09
      96.   Well, I guess there will never be peace then 02:58  |  peacelover 23/05/09
      97.   O-Dog # 71 Twisted, Grungy Crud (2nd try) 04:31  |  Jeff Northridge 23/05/09
      98.   If more humans were "holy" 06:18  |  T A SHeppard 23/05/09
      99.   To Witness@91 ,...ISRAEL WILL ALLWAYS BE JEWISH.BECAUSE .. 20:52  |  Whiskey/Bravo 23/05/09
      100.   Netanyahu: Jerusalem holy sites will remain Israeli forever 04:26  |  Ted Hayes 24/05/09
      101.   tor Mr Netanyahhua Thanks 06:03  |  frank morris 25/05/09
      102.   Jerusalem is not to be devided 20:42  |  Irene Mallon 26/05/09
      103.   jeruse. 10:29  |  Terence Hatcher 02/09/09
      104.   also, forgive me for saying so, but... 10:42  |  TH 02/09/09
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