New York – OU Denounces EU Statment Jerusalem Should be Capital of Two States

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    Jews and Arabs in Jerusalem New York – The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, denounced the statement, adopted today by ministers of the nations of the European Union, calling for negotiations over the status of Jerusalem and demanding the holy city serve as the capital of both Israel and a future Palestinian State.

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    Orthodox Union president, Steve Savitsky, and executive vice president, Rabbi Steven Weil, issued the following statement:

    On behalf of the Orthodox Union, and the millions of Jews who faithfully pray toward Jerusalem and for her peace, we denounce the audacious statement of the EU ministers.

    Jerusalem has been the eternal capital of the Jewish people for 3000 years, and despite being conquered and claimed by many others, it has never served as another nation’s capital. Part of the city became modern Israel’s capital in 1948, and the entire city was reunited as our capital in 1967.

    The EU ministers must confront the fact that when the Old City was last ruled by Arabs, Jews and Christians were denied access to their holiest sites, and those sites were defaced and desecrated.

    It has only been under Israeli sovereignty that Jerusalem has been an open and thriving city, and people of all faiths have had their holy sites protected and afforded almost unfettered access.

    As if the EU ministers’ statement were not offensive enough for ignoring this relevant history, it is remarkable that the ministers chose to issue this statement just after Prime Minister Netanyahu announced an unprecedented freeze of Israeli settlement activity for the sake of restarting peace negotiations with the Palestinians – who rejected the Prime Minister’s offer.

    Instead of commending Israel’s step and pressing the Palestinians for their recalcitrance, the ministers of the EU choose to act in favor of the Palestinians. This is unacceptable and should show that the EU has forfeited its role as a constructive party to resolving the Israeli-Arab conflict.

    Lastly, we wish to state that we appreciate the efforts by the United States government to ameliorate the EU’s action.

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    20 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    The moslems in Sweden are evidently having an effect on their rep to the EU. The Pres of the EU is from Sweden – and they pushed for the issue to be raised to a higher level. Careful where you walk my Swedish brothers – you are going from blond and blue eyed to mustafa and mohammad.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Somebody asked them? Will their declaration have any effect?

    yosse nathan
    yosse nathan
    14 years ago

    the eu is there own worst enemy

    Rippin Pinchas
    Rippin Pinchas
    14 years ago

    “Jerusalem has been the eternal capital of the Jewish people for 3000 years”

    Strange statement. The state of Israel was founded in 1948. If we consider Jerusalem to be our capital regardless of the state of Israel, then why does Israel need soveriegnty over Jerusalem? It is the capital regardless. The Arabs can have it and the Jews will consider it their capital. This is the message the OU is sending.

    “The EU ministers must confront the fact that when the Old City was last ruled by Arabs, Jews and Christians were denied access to their holiest sites”

    It has been a while since that happened. Especially that the Turks ruled Jerusalem, and they are not technically Arabs. I think it would have been better to point to Kever Yosef and the need for the fortification of Kever Rochel as examples of destruction to the holy sites.

    “it is remarkable that the ministers chose to issue this statement just after Prime Minister Netanyahu announced an unprecedented freeze of Israeli settlement activity for the sake of restarting peace negotiations with the Palestinians”

    Again, not well thought out. The EU purposely did this at a time of weakness.

    What are
    What are
    14 years ago

    Palestinians? as long we jews call the arabs palestinians the eu would like to divide israel when the jew start calling the so called palestinians by there real name arabs the world will see that they are true arabs there are no palestinians

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    “Strange statement. The state of Israel was founded in 1948.”

    It is strange to you because you ignore the following sentence, which is the crux of the matter: Jerusalem has never served as another country’s capital.

    “It has been a while since that happened.”

    How long is a while for you? Do you know what the Kotel looked like before 1900? The place was literally a garbage dump. And the desecration was done by Arabs, going back 1500 years. The Ottoman rule was relatively recent.

    “Again, not well thought out. The EU purposely did this at a time of weakness.”

    You seem not to understand the idea of understatement. I think the OU leadership has a better grasp than the two of us as to the international political scene.

    Boruch
    Boruch
    14 years ago

    How can the UN ask Israel to split its capital with people that want to destroy it? In Iraq they keep killing each other, killing civilians, despite significant american forces, and how are we supposed to share our capital with a group that is very infiltraded with radical islam?

    Why is it that the Western Civilization denies Taliban a hold in Afganistan while Israel has to share its capital with similar groups?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    “You make my point. If Israel was established in 1948 and then it became the capital, just say that. By stating this 3000 years business the OU is undermining itself.”

    You have failed to parse the paragraph correctly.

    “Jerusalem has been the eternal capital of the Jewish people for 3000 years…”

    By using the phrase “Jewish people”, this sentence is clearly not talking about a political entity or State. It is referring to the fact that us Jews have looked to Jerusalem ever since Dovid established it as his capital and since Shlomoh built the first Temple.

    “… , and despite being conquered and claimed by many others, it has never served as another nation’s capital.”

    This continuation of the previous quote demonstrates that no other political entity has ever laid a claim to Jerusalem. The Islamic and Christian claims are clearly preempted by the Jewish claim of 3000 years, as quoted above.

    “Part of the city became modern Israel’s capital in 1948, and the entire city was reunited as our capital in 1967.”

    This is a nod to the current political situation. It is simply providing more reason why Israel should not have to give up part of its capital.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Maybe the UN would like to tell China to share its capital with Tibet, or texas with Mexico, I cd go on for ever.

    Reb Yid
    Reb Yid
    14 years ago

    I say call their bluff–agree to split Jerusalem if the EU agrees to split itself up.