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Israel Marks Jerusalem Day, Defends Claim to City

   VOA News 12 May 2010
   Israeli  Prime  Minister  Benjamin Netanyahu gestures as he delivers a
   speech  for Jerusalem Day at the Mercaz Harav yeshiva in Jerusalem, 12
   May 2010.

Photo: AP

   Israeli  Prime  Minister  Benjamin Netanyahu gestures as he delivers a
   speech  for  Jerusalem  Day  at the Mercaz Harav yeshiva in Jerusalem.
   Jerusalem  Day  marks  Israel's  capture  of  east  Jerusalem  and the
   reunification  of  the  city,  which had been divided into Israeli and
   Jordanian  sectors  from Israel's establishment in 1948 until the 1967
   war, 12 May 2010

   Israel  is  celebrating  the  43rd anniversary of the reunification of
   Jerusalem,  while  the  city's  boundaries  continue to be a source of
   tension between Israel and the Palestinians.
   Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan on June 7, 1967, during the
   1967   Arab-Israeli   War.    Wednesday's   observances   marked  the
   anniversary according to the Hebrew calendar.  Â
   Israel's  annexation  of  East  Jerusalem has not been internationally
   recognized,  and Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of
   a future Palestinian state.
   In  a  speech  marking  the  occasion, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
   Netanyahu   emphasized  what  he  described  as  the  Jewish  people's
   "unbreakable bond" with the city.
   He also vowed that settlement construction would continue in the east.
   Jerusalem  Mayor  Nir  Barkat  said  the  city's  boundaries  are  not
   negotiable.
   Palestinians  have  demanded  that Israel cease construction of Jewish
   homes  in  East  Jerusalem and the West Bank as a condition for direct
   peace talks.
   Also   Wednesday,   Israel's   internal   security  minister,  Yitzhak
   Aharonovitch, said the demolition of Arab homes in East Jerusalem will
   take place as planned this week.
   Aharonovitch  said  during  a meeting of Israel's Knesset there are no
   directives to halt the demolition orders.  He noted that in the past,
   such action was postponed for political reasons.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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