CRI听力:Netanyahu Reiterates Jerusalem Not to Be Divided

Palestinian officials are lashing out at new statements from Israel's Prime Minister, who has suggested Jerusalem will not return to being a -quote- "divided and wounded" city.

CRI's Niu Honglin has more.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing his cabinet, says Jerusalem will not be divided.

"We do not wish to go backwards and those speak with nostalgia about those days apparently do not live here. We will not go back to a divided city, a torn city, a city with barbed wire fences and snipers on the walls. This will not happen and we will see to it that it does not happen."

His comments have been made at a special cabinet meeting commemorating Jerusalem Day.

This day marks the establishment of Israeli control over the entire city of Jerusalem in the aftermath of the 1967 Six-Day War.

Like many of the Jerusalem Days in the past, this year's event on Sunday was also marred by violence, with Israeli nationalists marching through Old Jerusalem, setting off fights with the local Arab population in the city.

Netanyahu's cabinet has also approved a series of economic development and infrastructure plans for Jerusalem in the next five years.

The cabinet is also working on preparations to mark the 50th Jerusalem Day in 2017.

This has set off anger among the Palestinians, as East Jerusalem is supposed to be the capital of a stand-alone Palestinian state.

Palestinian official Ashraf Khatib says while they're angry with the position the Israeli side is taking, they're not surprised by Netanyahu's comments.
"Obviously Netanyahu has proved again that the only agenda of this government and previous government is the continuation of its violation to the international law, and the continuation of the longest occupation ever in the world. These words and the actions Netanyahu is attempting to do are only ingredients to destroy the chance for the two-state solution."

But at the same time, Netanyahu has also said he will make every effort to bring about an agreement with the Palestinians that will maintain Israeli security, echoing his words last week that he would like the peace process to resume soon.

Ashraf Khatib says Israel only uses the prospect of peace talks as a smoke screen.

"It's a big joke when Netanyahu speaks about resumption of peace talks while he's doing not only the opposite, but he's doing every single thing that violates the rules and the laws. There's no room for negotiation and peace talks while there is continuation of settlement construction. There's no room for peace talks when Israel destroys Palestinian homes and forces people out from their homes. The world should not be fooled again with anything that Netanyahu speaks."

Previous efforts in the past few years to create an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord have met with little success.
Israeli settlement plans in the West Bank and Palestinian moves to gain international recognition without negotiating with Israel first continue to drive the two sides apart.

For CRI, I'm Niu Honglin.