Olmert: No peace without dividing Jerusalem

[Scurrilous]

Significant part of Jerusalem must be turned over to Palestinians, be used as their future capital, Olmert says Friday; prime minister praises Rabin's, Barak's peace efforts, says concessions are inevitable

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3682276,00.htm

<snip>

"No peace agreement can be secured with the Palestinians unless Israel is willing to divide Jerusalem, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Friday.

"There will be no peace if a significant part of Jerusalem is not the capital of the Palestinian state," Olmert said during a public appearance before northern residents.

Addressing the change in his political views over the years, the PM said: "When you sit on the chair of the prime minister, which isn't very comfortable, you have a panoramic view of everything, from end to end…when you see a panoramic image you have to reach different conclusions than the ones you reached when you only had a partial picture."

"I had to ask myself whether I will be clinging to the positions I espouses for all those years, or whether I will be moving forward," Olmert said. "Rabin, may he rest in peace, was getting there, but the bullet of an assassin stopped him. I started seeing things a little differently ever since than."

<snip>

"The prime minister added that "we must not deceive ourselves; this move is inevitable," noting that "Ehud Barak almost understood it in Camp David in 2000."

[maxsolomon]

1. there is another option

make jerusalem part of neither state. a neutral city administered by the UN or a 3rd party with no stake in the religious battles, like buddhists or taoists.

or atheists. yeah, make richard dawkins king of jerusalem! only half :sarcasm:.

[denverbill]

2. I don't see why it can't be the capital of both countries.

Why divide it? We have cities in America with multiple municipalities, and cities which span two states.

But he is right. It is inevitable. Israel has a choice - either commit ethnic cleansing or genocide against all non-Jews in all of historical Israel, as the rabid-right-wing Zionists seem to want. Or withdraw from the occupied territories and let Palestinians govern themselves.

[excess_3]

3. change the boundries

add some land east of the wall,
to Jerusalem