On November 17th Danny Seidemann and I wrote about how Netanyahu had chosen the "nuclear option" when it came to Gilo. We meant that in this instance, when the issue of the approval of new settlement construction in East Jerusalem came up, he and his government opted for a strategy that was guaranteed to cause the biggest possible explosion politically, leaving diplomatic scorched earth in its wake.
Today we have another example of Israeli officialdom "going nuclear" on Jerusalem, this time in response to a leaked EU draft document that (gasp) implies that under a peace agreement the capital of a Palestinian state would be East Jerusalem. As quoted in Haaretz, the draft EU document notes:
Judging from the Israeli reactions of shock, dismay, and outrage, an ignorant (or forgetful) observer might assume that nobody had ever suggested such a thing in the past.
That observer would of course be grossly mistaken. What we have here is not the case of anything remotely new or shocking being said by the EU (or of the EU trying to prejudge the outcome of final status talks, as opposition leader Tzipi Livni stated, apparently viewing EU words as more problematic than Israeli settlement activity and home demolitions in Jerusalem -- Tzipi, meet irony. Irony, meet Tzipi. You clearly are not acquainted.). What we have here is a cynical Israel reaction designed, it would seem, to re-set the diplomatic clock back by at least a decade, to a time when politicians and negotiators were still forced to speak in code (not referring explicitly to the fact that a peace agreement would mean the creation of a Palestinian state, let alone the location of its capital).
Below is a compendium of Jerusalem-related data points, drawn mainly from the not-at-all-lefty Jewish Virtual Library, for those who are following this and care about the facts involved.
Today we have another example of Israeli officialdom "going nuclear" on Jerusalem, this time in response to a leaked EU draft document that (gasp) implies that under a peace agreement the capital of a Palestinian state would be East Jerusalem. As quoted in Haaretz, the draft EU document notes:
"The Council is deeply concerned about the situation in East Jerusalem. In view of recent incidents, it calls on all parties to refrain from provocative actions. The Council recalls that it has never recognized the annexation of East Jerusalem. If there is to be a genuine peace, a way must be found to resolve the status of Jerusalem as the capital of two states. The Council calls for the reopening of Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem in accordance with the Roadmap. It also calls on the Israeli government to cease all discriminatory treatment of Palestinians in East Jerusalem."
Judging from the Israeli reactions of shock, dismay, and outrage, an ignorant (or forgetful) observer might assume that nobody had ever suggested such a thing in the past.
That observer would of course be grossly mistaken. What we have here is not the case of anything remotely new or shocking being said by the EU (or of the EU trying to prejudge the outcome of final status talks, as opposition leader Tzipi Livni stated, apparently viewing EU words as more problematic than Israeli settlement activity and home demolitions in Jerusalem -- Tzipi, meet irony. Irony, meet Tzipi. You clearly are not acquainted.). What we have here is a cynical Israel reaction designed, it would seem, to re-set the diplomatic clock back by at least a decade, to a time when politicians and negotiators were still forced to speak in code (not referring explicitly to the fact that a peace agreement would mean the creation of a Palestinian state, let alone the location of its capital).
Below is a compendium of Jerusalem-related data points, drawn mainly from the not-at-all-lefty Jewish Virtual Library, for those who are following this and care about the facts involved.
(9/13/1993) Jerusalem as final status issue under Oslo: Declaration of
Principles, ARTICLE V - TRANSITIONAL PERIOD AND PERMANENT STATUS
NEGOTIATIONS - "It is understood that these negotiations shall cover
remaining issues, including: Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, security
arrangements, borders, relations and cooperation with other neighbors,
and other issues of common interest."
(2000) Camp David: "It should be noted that in 2000 at Camp David, Ehud Barak offered dramatic concessions of Jerusalem and the West Bank to the Palestinians, including allowing Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem to become the capital of a future Palestinian state."
(2000) Camp David: "Barak also made previously unthinkable concessions on Jerusalem, agreeing that Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem would become the capital of the new state.
(7/2000) Camp David: "According to the accompanying article by reporter Ben Caspit, Israeli negotiators under Prime Minister Ehud Barak for the first time proposed to divide Jerusalem into two cities: a Jewish city to be known as Jerusalem which would serve as Israel's capital, as it does now; and an Arab city to be known as Al-Quds, the Arabic name for Jerusalem, which would serve as the capital of a new Palestinian Arab state."
(1/7/2001) Clinton Parameters: "First, Jerusalem should be an open and undivided city, with assured freedom of access and worship for all. It should encompass the internationally recognized capitals of two states, Israel and Palestine. Second, what is Arab should be Palestinian, for why would Israel want to govern in perpetuity the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians?"
(1/2001) Taba (EU notes): "2.3 Capital for two states: The Israeli side accepted that the City of Jerusalem would be the capital of two states: Jerusalem, capital of Israel, and Al-Quds, capital of the State of Palestine. The Palestinian side expressed its only concern, namely that East Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Palestine. "
(3/27/2002) Arab Peace Initiative: "Further calls upon Israel to affirm...The acceptance of the establishment of a Sovereign Independent Palestinian State on the Palestinian territories occupied since the 4th of June 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital."
(2002) Analysis of API on Jerusalem: "The Arab demand that Israel accept the establishment of a Palestinian State in the West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital has been part of the negotiations since Oslo. Israel's leaders, including Sharon, have accepted the idea of creating a Palestinian state in part of those territories. In fact, Prime Minister Ehud Barak offered to return more than 90% of the territories and give the Palestinians control over much of East Jerusalem at the Camp David negotiations in 2000, but these concessions were rejected out of hand by the Palestinians who offered no counterproposal."
(7/27/2002) Ayalon-Nusseibeh Plan: "Jerusalem will be an open city, the capital of two states. Freedom of religion and full access to holy sites will be guaranteed to all. Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem will come under Palestinian sovereignty, Jewish neighborhoods under Israeli sovereignty..."
(4/30/2003) Stage I Roadmap requirement: GOI reopens Palestinian Chamber of Commerce and other closed Palestinian institutions in East Jerusalem based on a commitment that these institutions operate strictly in accordance with prior agreements between the parties.
(4/30/2003) Stage III Roadmap requirement: "a negotiated resolution on the status of Jerusalem that takes into account the political and religious concerns of both sides, and protects the religious interests of Jews, Christians, and Muslims worldwide, and fulfills the vision of two states, Israel and sovereign, independent, democratic and viable Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security."
(12/1/2003) The Geneva Initiative: "The Parties shall have their mutually recognized capitals in the areas of Jerusalem under their respective sovereignty."
(2005) Review of Dershowitz Book (The Case for Peace): "...Dershowitz gives his own version of the Bush Administration's roadmap plan, which he says should be 'obvious to all reasonable people.' The solution will look something like this: ...3. Jerusalem must be divided, with the Arab part becoming the capital of Palestine, and the Jewish part recognized as Israel's capital."
(5/4/2006) Otniel Schneller (Kadima): "The plan currently would give most of Jerusalem's Arab neighborhoods, including a-Ram, Anata, Abu Dis, Tsur Baher and Jabel Mukaber, to the Palestinians, while keeping the predominantly Jewish areas for Israel. 'Those same neighborhoods will, in my assessment, be central to the makeup of the Palestinian capital ... al-Quds,' Schneller said, calling Jerusalem by its name in Arabic. 'We will not divide Jerusalem, we will share it.'"
(5/4/2006) Washington Post - Israel Offers Outline to Divide Jerusalem: "Israel's new government is drawing up a blueprint for dividing the holy city of Jerusalem -- a once inconceivable notion -- giving the Palestinians nearly all the Arab neighborhoods while holding onto Jewish areas and disputed holy shrines. Otniel Schneller, an architect of the plan, described it in interviews this week with The Associated Press, giving the clearest picture yet of how Israel plans to separate from the Palestinians, abandoning most of the West Bank. 'We will not divide Jerusalem, we will share it,' he said. Most of Jerusalem's Arab neighborhoods would go to the Palestinians, he said. 'Those same neighborhoods will, in my assessment, be central to the makeup of the Palestinian capital ... al-Quds,' Schneller said, calling Jerusalem by its Arabic name.
(9/21/2007) Kadima members disagree over how J'lem should be divided: "...Vice Premier Haim Ramon is promoting a plan to Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayad in which almost all Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem would be subtracted from the Israeli city and become part of a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem...counter-coalition inside Kadima has sprung up, headed by MK Otniel Schneller. Schneller is unwilling to give up Israeli sovereignty over the Old City and the Temple Mount, but will accept religious management of the holy sites. He is also willing to give up neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city - mostly to the north, such as Al-Ram, Qalandiyah and Kafr Akeb (most of which are already outside the separation fence) - as well as parts of a few other neighborhoods...."
(6/23/2008) Sarkozy Urges Israel to Share Sovereignty Over Jerusalem: The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy told Israel today to share sovereignty over Jerusalem with the Palestinians and to stop building settlements in the occupied territories. In an address to the Israeli parliament, or Knesset, Sarkozy also promised France's support in helping to halt Iran's nuclear program and he praised Israel's democracy, comments for which he won applause. However, he also spoke strongly about what he expected of Israel as part of the peace process with the Palestinians. "There cannot be peace without an immediate and complete halt to settlement," he said. "There cannot be peace without recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of two states and the guarantee of free access to the holy places for all religions."
(9/3/2008) Barak on al Jazeera: "'We can find a formula under which certain neighborhoods, heavily-populated Arab neighborhoods, could become, in a peace agreement, part of the Palestinian capital that, of course, will include also the neighboring villages around Jerusalem,' Barak said when asked whether he envisioned the future division of Jerusalem."
(10/28/2009) UN: "Jerusalem must be the capital of two States - Israel and Palestine - living side-by-side in peace and security, with arrangements for the holy sites acceptable to all, if peace in the Middle East is to be achieved, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned today."
(9/25/2009) #73: No Peace Without Compromise: "Jerusalem - Israel maintains that Jerusalem is its eternal capital and has resisted Palestinian demands that the city be divided. Still, Barak offered to allow the Palestinians to establish their capital in Eastern Jerusalem and offered a compromise over control of the Temple Mount. Olmert also offered to compromise on Jerusalem.
(2000) Camp David: "It should be noted that in 2000 at Camp David, Ehud Barak offered dramatic concessions of Jerusalem and the West Bank to the Palestinians, including allowing Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem to become the capital of a future Palestinian state."
(2000) Camp David: "Barak also made previously unthinkable concessions on Jerusalem, agreeing that Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem would become the capital of the new state.
(7/2000) Camp David: "According to the accompanying article by reporter Ben Caspit, Israeli negotiators under Prime Minister Ehud Barak for the first time proposed to divide Jerusalem into two cities: a Jewish city to be known as Jerusalem which would serve as Israel's capital, as it does now; and an Arab city to be known as Al-Quds, the Arabic name for Jerusalem, which would serve as the capital of a new Palestinian Arab state."
(1/7/2001) Clinton Parameters: "First, Jerusalem should be an open and undivided city, with assured freedom of access and worship for all. It should encompass the internationally recognized capitals of two states, Israel and Palestine. Second, what is Arab should be Palestinian, for why would Israel want to govern in perpetuity the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians?"
(1/2001) Taba (EU notes): "2.3 Capital for two states: The Israeli side accepted that the City of Jerusalem would be the capital of two states: Jerusalem, capital of Israel, and Al-Quds, capital of the State of Palestine. The Palestinian side expressed its only concern, namely that East Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Palestine. "
(3/27/2002) Arab Peace Initiative: "Further calls upon Israel to affirm...The acceptance of the establishment of a Sovereign Independent Palestinian State on the Palestinian territories occupied since the 4th of June 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital."
(2002) Analysis of API on Jerusalem: "The Arab demand that Israel accept the establishment of a Palestinian State in the West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital has been part of the negotiations since Oslo. Israel's leaders, including Sharon, have accepted the idea of creating a Palestinian state in part of those territories. In fact, Prime Minister Ehud Barak offered to return more than 90% of the territories and give the Palestinians control over much of East Jerusalem at the Camp David negotiations in 2000, but these concessions were rejected out of hand by the Palestinians who offered no counterproposal."
(7/27/2002) Ayalon-Nusseibeh Plan: "Jerusalem will be an open city, the capital of two states. Freedom of religion and full access to holy sites will be guaranteed to all. Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem will come under Palestinian sovereignty, Jewish neighborhoods under Israeli sovereignty..."
(4/30/2003) Stage I Roadmap requirement: GOI reopens Palestinian Chamber of Commerce and other closed Palestinian institutions in East Jerusalem based on a commitment that these institutions operate strictly in accordance with prior agreements between the parties.
(4/30/2003) Stage III Roadmap requirement: "a negotiated resolution on the status of Jerusalem that takes into account the political and religious concerns of both sides, and protects the religious interests of Jews, Christians, and Muslims worldwide, and fulfills the vision of two states, Israel and sovereign, independent, democratic and viable Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security."
(12/1/2003) The Geneva Initiative: "The Parties shall have their mutually recognized capitals in the areas of Jerusalem under their respective sovereignty."
(2005) Review of Dershowitz Book (The Case for Peace): "...Dershowitz gives his own version of the Bush Administration's roadmap plan, which he says should be 'obvious to all reasonable people.' The solution will look something like this: ...3. Jerusalem must be divided, with the Arab part becoming the capital of Palestine, and the Jewish part recognized as Israel's capital."
(5/4/2006) Otniel Schneller (Kadima): "The plan currently would give most of Jerusalem's Arab neighborhoods, including a-Ram, Anata, Abu Dis, Tsur Baher and Jabel Mukaber, to the Palestinians, while keeping the predominantly Jewish areas for Israel. 'Those same neighborhoods will, in my assessment, be central to the makeup of the Palestinian capital ... al-Quds,' Schneller said, calling Jerusalem by its name in Arabic. 'We will not divide Jerusalem, we will share it.'"
(5/4/2006) Washington Post - Israel Offers Outline to Divide Jerusalem: "Israel's new government is drawing up a blueprint for dividing the holy city of Jerusalem -- a once inconceivable notion -- giving the Palestinians nearly all the Arab neighborhoods while holding onto Jewish areas and disputed holy shrines. Otniel Schneller, an architect of the plan, described it in interviews this week with The Associated Press, giving the clearest picture yet of how Israel plans to separate from the Palestinians, abandoning most of the West Bank. 'We will not divide Jerusalem, we will share it,' he said. Most of Jerusalem's Arab neighborhoods would go to the Palestinians, he said. 'Those same neighborhoods will, in my assessment, be central to the makeup of the Palestinian capital ... al-Quds,' Schneller said, calling Jerusalem by its Arabic name.
(9/21/2007) Kadima members disagree over how J'lem should be divided: "...Vice Premier Haim Ramon is promoting a plan to Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayad in which almost all Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem would be subtracted from the Israeli city and become part of a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem...counter-coalition inside Kadima has sprung up, headed by MK Otniel Schneller. Schneller is unwilling to give up Israeli sovereignty over the Old City and the Temple Mount, but will accept religious management of the holy sites. He is also willing to give up neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city - mostly to the north, such as Al-Ram, Qalandiyah and Kafr Akeb (most of which are already outside the separation fence) - as well as parts of a few other neighborhoods...."
(6/23/2008) Sarkozy Urges Israel to Share Sovereignty Over Jerusalem: The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy told Israel today to share sovereignty over Jerusalem with the Palestinians and to stop building settlements in the occupied territories. In an address to the Israeli parliament, or Knesset, Sarkozy also promised France's support in helping to halt Iran's nuclear program and he praised Israel's democracy, comments for which he won applause. However, he also spoke strongly about what he expected of Israel as part of the peace process with the Palestinians. "There cannot be peace without an immediate and complete halt to settlement," he said. "There cannot be peace without recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of two states and the guarantee of free access to the holy places for all religions."
(9/3/2008) Barak on al Jazeera: "'We can find a formula under which certain neighborhoods, heavily-populated Arab neighborhoods, could become, in a peace agreement, part of the Palestinian capital that, of course, will include also the neighboring villages around Jerusalem,' Barak said when asked whether he envisioned the future division of Jerusalem."
(10/28/2009) UN: "Jerusalem must be the capital of two States - Israel and Palestine - living side-by-side in peace and security, with arrangements for the holy sites acceptable to all, if peace in the Middle East is to be achieved, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned today."
(9/25/2009) #73: No Peace Without Compromise: "Jerusalem - Israel maintains that Jerusalem is its eternal capital and has resisted Palestinian demands that the city be divided. Still, Barak offered to allow the Palestinians to establish their capital in Eastern Jerusalem and offered a compromise over control of the Temple Mount. Olmert also offered to compromise on Jerusalem.
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