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Israel hints at Jerusalem talks | Israel hints at Jerusalem talks |
(about 7 hours later) | |
The future status of Jerusalem will be on the agenda at next month's planned Middle East peace conference, according to Israel's vice premier Haim Ramon. | The future status of Jerusalem will be on the agenda at next month's planned Middle East peace conference, according to Israel's vice premier Haim Ramon. |
"Whoever thinks parties will only discuss the structure of Palestinian Authority institutions is deluded," Mr Ramon said, quoted by Israeli media. | "Whoever thinks parties will only discuss the structure of Palestinian Authority institutions is deluded," Mr Ramon said, quoted by Israeli media. |
Palestinians want the talks to tackle "final status" issues, including Jerusalem, though Israel is reluctant. | Palestinians want the talks to tackle "final status" issues, including Jerusalem, though Israel is reluctant. |
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, now home to 240,000 Palestinians, in 1967. | Israel occupied East Jerusalem, now home to 240,000 Palestinians, in 1967. |
Since its victory in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, it has settled hundreds of thousands of its citizens there and claims the entire city as its "eternal, indivisible" capital. | Since its victory in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, it has settled hundreds of thousands of its citizens there and claims the entire city as its "eternal, indivisible" capital. |
When we speak of a diplomatic horizon, these are the subjects we are referring to Haim Ramon class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6668603.stm">Key issue: Jerusalem "Israel has an interest to get recognition of all of Jerusalem's Jewish neighbourhoods, and to hand over control of Arab neighbourhoods to the Palestinians," Mr Ramon said. | |
"When we speak of a diplomatic horizon, these are the subjects we are referring to," he added in comments reported by Jerusalem Post. | "When we speak of a diplomatic horizon, these are the subjects we are referring to," he added in comments reported by Jerusalem Post. |
However, he said Israel would not transfer control of the Old City with its holy places and surrounding neighbourhoods to the Palestinians. | However, he said Israel would not transfer control of the Old City with its holy places and surrounding neighbourhoods to the Palestinians. |
Ramon has previously backed "special sovereignty" over the city's holy sites, while the Western Wall and Jewish Quarter would come under Israeli sovereignty. | Ramon has previously backed "special sovereignty" over the city's holy sites, while the Western Wall and Jewish Quarter would come under Israeli sovereignty. |
The Kadima party of Mr Ramon and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert won last year's elections with programme that favoured unilaterally demarcating Israel's borders with the Palestinians. | The Kadima party of Mr Ramon and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert won last year's elections with programme that favoured unilaterally demarcating Israel's borders with the Palestinians. |
Kadima colleagues have criticised his position, arguing that the whole of Jerusalem must remain under Israeli control. | Kadima colleagues have criticised his position, arguing that the whole of Jerusalem must remain under Israeli control. |
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