Egypt rejects partition of Jerusalem
Egypt, Politics, 9/11/2000

Egypt's Ambassador to France Ali Maher said Egypt rejects the partition of Jerusalem and demands tackling this problem in a balanced way, that takes into account the status quo.

The status quo shows that there is an Arab Jerusalem and Israeli one, and a solution, based on this concept, should be adopted in what implies that a Jerusalem will be a capital Palestine and a Jerusalem a capital for Israel, said Maher in interview with Radio France Internationale.

Maher voiced belief that this solution was the appealing for any side seeking peace.

East Jerusalem has to be addressed in the light of resolution 242 and the UN principle that prohibits the capture of others' lands by force, said Maher.

If that principle is not applied, it will open the door in the future for anyone who wants to seize others' territories by force, said Maher.

Maher praised as wise Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak's admittance, as he spoke at the launching of the UN Millennium Summit, that Jerusalem was also holy to Muslims and Christians all over the world.

Barak should have made the pronouncement a long time ago, Maher said, adding that Barak had proven himself as an intelligent man, well-versed in historical facts.

On whether public opinion in the world at large, and especially in Egypt, deemed Barak's admittance a gesture of goodwill. Maher saw in it as strong and welcome indication of clarity.

Maher alerted against the lure of past dreams, and said building up the future entailed clarity, wisdom and good intentions.

On the possibility of reaching an "international formula" for the holy places in Jerusalem, in line with Palestinian National Council Speaker Ahmad Rorei's suggestion to the European parliament that the holy city became a capital of the world, Maher did not see this a realistic solution.

A realistic solution would make Jerusalem a joint capital of the Palestinian and Israeli sides, and not a divided one, he added.

Maher further proposed that the two would-be capitals in a unified Jerusalem should be open unto one another, in terms of sharing services and electricity, water and telecommunications networks.

Maher envisioned that Islamic, Christian sanctities and the Armenian quarter should be placed under Arab or Palestinian sovereignty, with the Wailing Wall coming under Israel's as part of the Jewish heritage.

Asked if concentration on the Jerusalem question in the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations threatened to derail other vital issues as the refugees problem, Maher believed that Jerusalem, an issue fraught with high religious sentiment, was a key problem that needed to be addressed in order for other pending problems to be solved.

On the time left to reach a solution, Maher said if no solution is reached before the fast approaching end of US President Bill Clinton's mandate, there is always the threat of future confrontations at a time when the region is in dire need of peace to dedicate efforts for development and reconstruction.

Egypt spares no effort to reconcile Palestinian and Israeli views and settle differences between them. Maher asserted.

Previous Stories:
  Mubarak, Ben-Issa underline support for Palestinian sovereignty over East Jerusalem   (9/7/2000)
  Jerusalem is a sensitive, complicated, serious issue   (9/7/2000)
  Egypt makes no pressure on the Palestinians   (9/7/2000)

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