Newspaper
Clarin
Buenos Aires – Saturday, December 30, 1995
Interview SUHAIL AKEL, PALESTINE REPRESENTATIVE IN ARGENTINA
Jerusalem will be the capital city of Israel and Palestine (view)
This is his answer to the Israeli mayor of Jerusalem * Israeli mayor said that Jerusalem belongs to Israel * The Palestinian said that it was an outrage * And he labeled him as arrogant
“Jerusalem will be the capital city of the Palestine State and Israel State”, Suhail Hani Daher Akel, a Palestine National Authority’s representative, indubitably states.
Akel, calm, raises his voice when he remembers the Jerusalem Mayor’s words. During his visit to Buenos Aires, Ehud Olmert told Clarin newspaper the polemic holy city “has been the capital of the Jewish people for 3000” and “Argentina will move its embassy there”, which is now in Tel Aviv as most of the diplomatic representations (See: What the Israeli mayor said). “The mayor is an arrogant when he denies the rights of our people”, the Palestinian states.
Israel declared Jerusalem its eternal and indivisible capital city. Palestinians consider it the head of a future State. Facing this controversy and accepting UNO resolutions, Embassies in Israel are located in Tel Aviv.
- Jerusalem mayor has assured that the Palestinian identity in the city dates from no more than 40 years.
- I thought that these abuses against the Palestinian people were going to vanish. I deeply lament the Mayor’s unbearable position. Fortunately, I was born in Jerusalem over 40 years ago and I think that the mayor did not belong to that city at that time.
- What do you think of the celebrations on the occasion of the 3,000 anniversary of Jerusalem?
- Jerusalem is not 3,000, it is 5,500 years old. Our ancestors founded it: the Jebuseos, Arab Semitic Cananeous –from a Palestinian genealogy. They founded it in honor to Salem, a god of peace. The Vatican, the European Community and Argentina, among others, did not join the celebrations because they do not recognize Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel.
- Do you think Argentina will move its embassy to Jerusalem, as the Israeli mayor has said?
- What Olmert has said is a prediction and it has been immediately denied by Argentina.
- The United States has decided to move its embassy before 1999. Argentina usually follows Washington with regard to its foreign policy. Why would it act in a different way this time?
- In 1999 there will be an independent Palestine State. Argentina, like the United States and the world, will be able to have an Embassy in East Jerusalem and in West Jerusalem. We cannot avoid recognizing the fact that there are people who have developed themselves in Jerusalem and we believe that the Palestinian and Israeli people must share Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be the capital city of Palestine and Israel. We will own the East sector.
- But the agreements establish a Palestinian autonomy, not the creation of a State...
- We have not signed for an autonomy, but for the self-determination of the Palestinian people. We want to enjoy an independent, sovereign and democratic Palestine, where Muslims, Christians and Jewish may perfectly coexist. We are not asking for the moon. We are asking for the devolution of our occupied territories.
Paula
Lugones
Copyright Clarin newspaper, 1995
What the Israeli mayor has said
In an interview with Clarin newspaper, Ehud Olmert, mayor of Jerusalem, stated that “Argentina will move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. It is just a question of time. I have no doubts about that”. And he added that “if the United States has decided to move its embassy, why would not Argentina do the same thing"?
The affirmation of Olmert, from the right-wing party Likud, was denied by the Argentine Chancellery, which clarified that the embassy will remain in Tel Aviv, as most of the representations. Israel declared Jerusalem its capital city, but the Palestinians expressed that it is going to be the head of a future State.
Besides, Olmert has said:
*”Jerusalem has been the capital city of the Jewish people for 3,000 and we do not need any excuse to celebrate it”.
*”40 years ago, it was the first time that Palestinians had appeared as a group”.
*”When we will have to negotiate Jerusalem, we will do it. But they will be the ones who will have to resign, not us”.
*”Why does Arafat want to go to pray to Jerusalem now? Does he want to exalt emotions or generate violence? There is no urgency”.