Livni to Sweden: Ditch EU plan on dividing Jerusalem

The EU is the REVISED ROMAN EMPIRE. But for some reason I think you already knew that!

It is amazing how all this was predicted with tremendous accuracy over 2,000 years ago. Even down to the words the world leaders use. Peace and Security. Like it or not. They will split Jerusalem, probably in about 2.5 more years from now in 2012. Then 3.5 years from then all hell breaks lose in a devastating world war.

Once again the Europeans are picking on the Jews!!! Melech has a point, why doesn't the EU demand the US and Canada return their land that they took. WHAT A PREPOSEROUS DOUBLE STANDARD!! The EU governments are ignorant, uneducated, meddlers!!

THe Palistinians have no justifiable claim to east Jerusalem or any part of Israel for that matter. When Arav leaders in 1967 threatened to 'drive the Jews into the sea," war started and the Arabs LOST. So goes the art of war, When North Americans give back the land to Indiginous people, then Palistians can reclaim what they have been told is theirs. Period.

Jerusalem is all what Israel is all about. Few know the significance of Jerusalem also in the hearts of men as the home of the temple. The plans of the future of Jerusalem are not in man?s hands just as Christ?s robe had no seam so will be Jerusalem in the latter days. The city of the LORD is not up for grab or business.

1) GB:"right to leave[sic}in peace" M from G: Israel has stated its willingness and desire to live in peace, Hamas on the other hand has a charter that states it wants to destroy Israel. 2) GB:"to Tel Aviv, then to Jerusalem" M from G:"Mark Twain, who visited Palestine in 1867, described it as: "...[a] desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds-a silent mournful expanse....A desolation is here that not even imagination can grace with the pomp of life and action....We never saw a human being on the whole route....There was hardly a tree or a shrub anywhere. Even the olive and the cactus, those fast friends of the worthless soil, had almost deserted the country." Mark Twain's description of traveling from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. But my point was to favor Israel on border issues at least until the Pals prove they're sincere about peace.

You say I tend to generalize... really. So let's get specific... exactly how many Palestinians in Gaza protested or marched against suicide bombings. Should I send you a video of Hamas celebrating 9/11 or a Hamas Imam proclaiming death to all non-believers. Maybe you need to see, how children in Gaza are indoctrinated thru cartoon programs. Or the brutality Islamic Jihad uses to enforce it's code. Is that specific enough. You say Palestinians are not fundamentalist... women in Gaza must adhere to strict dress and behavior code. They are beaten in the streets if they resist. Is that freedom of expression, religious diversity... is that secularism. You know... I lived in Israel as a child, Arabs in Israel and the west bank are good people and they deserve a state. But there's a world of difference between the west bank and Gaza. And the only way this conflict will end is when secular Israelis and pragmatic Palestinians sit-down and talk.

or are you so fixated on balfour and mandate of palestine that you somehow missed the zionist declaration on may 14, 1948? it DID "make it so", once it was recognized by the united nations. now guess what vickie boy, what's being hinted at here is that the european view is beginning to merge into one that envisions a palestinian state within the 1967 borders. with that, there's also a growing willingness to recognize it as such should the palestinians make a unilateral declaration. and it's sure to receive recognition by the united nations general assembly... and a single veto in the unsc CAN be overridden; "IF" the u.s. actually decides to use it. then negotiations with israel would only be needed to determine what areas the palestinians are willing to allow it to retain, and what land it cedes to the palestinians in return. is there not a window in the padded wall of your circular cell, victor; one which would allow you to see daylight? or do you keep the blinds closed?

Your city is Chicago. Travel. See both sides then speak.

Clearly you have never been to Palestine. This is about 10 million people and not all them Muslim. This is about the right to leave in peace in the land your family lived in for centuries. Both sides deserve to live in peace but if you take a land on the name of GOD then in the name of the same GOD you will fight back. Go from Georgia to Tel Aviv, then to Jerusalem (which by the way most of the places you will want to visit are lived by Muslims and Christians that speek many languages but mostly arabic)then go to the West Bank (Jerico, Dead Sea etc) and then have a non FOX news point of view. Israel has ALL the right to exist but so does Palestine.

...that people can leave side by side in peace specially if, when it comes down to it, they both belive in the same GOD. But this problem is not about GOD it's about land, "tradition" and "honor". Both sides have a legitimate claim to Jerusalem AND that is why they must divide and share. To say that supporting Palestine is based on hate for the Jewish people is absurd. For me to support the right of Israel to exist (which I do) I MUST support the right of Palestine to also exist. To exist with equal rights as all other nations. Palestine People are not only Muslim they are Chrsitian and yes, quite a few are Jewish and spoke originally arabic. Most local Jewish people before 48 used to concider them selves Palestinian. This land has been taken by many invadors.. unfortunatly even with a certain right to claim part of it, Israel has become and other invador.. As the song says: THE TIME HAS COME...WHAT'S FARE IS FARE...IT BELONGS TO THEM (EAST J AT LEAST, WB AND GAZA) GIVE IT BACK

Yes Ramallah is a beautiful city filled with great and beautiful Palestinian people. Tel Aviv is a great city filled with beautiful People from Israel (not counting Jaffa which is mixed and all great people). Jerusalem as far as the WORLD is concerned is Palestine. That is why ALL countries have their embassy in Tel Aviv. Mecca and Medina and the Vatican are not polical capitals they are religius places as Jerusalem is to all 3 religions. Two Jerusalems would be the proof that people can leave side by side in peace specially if when it comes down to it they belive in the same GOD.

Enough!!! Supporting a Palestinian State does NOT make me or millions of other non muslims arround the word ANTI-SEMITISM belivers!!! This BUSH thought of: Either you are with me or againts me....has to end!!! Israel has ALL the right to exist but not by opressing Palestine. Two Jerusalems would be the proof that humans can leave side by side.

Bravo!!!

The Lord has nothing to do with this. This is about PEOPLE and half of the people in what has been called Palestine for centuries live like animals in cages and they also claim LORD is on their side. The same LORD.

"As for the `Romans never expelled Jews from Israel` theory. The facts are depicted on the Arch of Titus which shows Jewish slaves exhibited in Rome." Never mind "Your knowledge of Jewish history is sorely lacking", What exactly does the arch of Titus show? It shows treasures from the Temple being carried away...by Roman soldiers. The Romans destroyed the Temple and stole its treasures. That is what the arch of Titus depicts. "Please present your linguistic argument that Yiddish comes from Khazaria." Sand quotes in order to sustain the claim that East European Jewry did not originate in large part from western Germany, the statement by Isaac Baer Levinsohn in 1828, whom he says is described as the father of Jewish enlightenment in Russia. "Our elders told us that some generations earlier the Jews in these parts spoke only this Russian language, and the Ashkenazi Jewish language we speak now [yiddish] had not yet spread among all the Jews living in these regions" on p243 He also attests that until the 1960's the view that the "majority of Yiddish speakers originated in the Caucaus, Volga Steppes, the black Seaand Slav countries was an acceptable assumptiom, caused no shock and was not considered anti semitic as it was after the early 70's". ibid. Furthermore Sand quotes the great Jewish scholar, Abraham Harkavy from 1867: 'The Jews and the Languages of the Slavs': "The first Jew who came ... did not originate in Germany as many writers tend to believe but originate from the Greek shores of the Black Sea and from Asia via the mountains of the Caucasus". Paul Wexler "has published studies supporting the assumption that the spread of Yiddish was not due to migration of Jews from the West. Its basis is Slavic and its vocabulary is predominantly south eastern German". p245. Prof. Paul Wexler Dept. of Linguistics Tel-Aviv University. The ashkenazic Jews: 'A Slavo Turkic People in Search of a Jewish Identity. 1993'. As a prime example of a Turkic etymology, quite central to yiddishkeit culture and practice Sand cites evidence on the word *Davenen* See this and more in Herbert Guy Zeiden. "Khazar/Kipchak Turkisms in Yiddish: Words and Surnames" 1998.

"Kuriel wrote that Britain and France support the Swedish position, while Germany, Spain and Italy are disinclined to side with Israel on the matter". You are confused Akram and fail to read properly the operativen sentence in quotes. Spain and Italy are "disinclined to side with Israel on the matter". What that means is that those countries are NOT inclined to side with Israel's whining. Can't read the plain meaning of the draft? The quote is clear; the meaning of disinclined is clear. In short, Israel stands alone.

...wrong in writing:"...that explains the number if Iranians living in Sweeden..." Actually, the overwhelmimg majority of Iranians in Sweden are regime-dissidents, and even more or less openly anti-Islamic. You don't have a point.

Roo, Let me tell you something. My grandmother from Lituania spoke Yiddish, a dialect of German. My Grandmother from Vienna, Austria (a German speaking city), also spoke Yiddish and understood the other grandmother from Lithuania. Jews started moving East in 1069. Casimir the Great of Poland (ruled after 1333) issued a great charter protecting the Jews of Poland. Poland included Lithuania and the Ukraine. From there, German Jews speaking a German dialect, Yiddish, spread to Russia, Rumania and Hungary. Please present your linguistic argument that Yiddish comes from Khazaria. As for the 'Romans never expelled Jews from Israel' theory. The facts are depicted on the Arch of Titus which shows Jewish slaves exhibited in Rome. Your knowledge of Jewish history is sorely lacking.

See your dictionary : Incline means willing. Disincline is just the opposite i.e 'not willing' i.e not willing to endorse the proposition. Have a good day !

All, I re-read the so-called 'Swedish Draft' and I believe it's a hoax. The 'Swedish Draft' accepts a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood. I believe that the EU rejected that last week in favor of starting final status negotiations. The rejection was during Bildt's Presidency. Why would he reverse it to 'promote negotiations'. This document makes no sense. Also, it is full of undiplomatic language. The draft says the EU rejected annexation of EJ. A real document would have referenced the UN SCR. It would not have made a bald statement. The Swedish Draft condemned Israel's closure of Gaza and mentioned UN SCR 1860. It didn't mention mortar and rocket fire from Gaza and it didn't mention Hamas' declared truce (even as a complement). The paragraph didn't make sense. The Swedish Draft left out significant references in the beginning such as Annapolis while including the the Arab Peace Initiative. This is sloppy work. Again, not done by a real diplomat.

You tend to generalize a lot i'm afraid. You use words such as "madrases" without even knowing what it means. FYI palestinians are far from being fundamentalists. Many muslim palestinians go to christian schools for instance. Please stop being outraged as israelis are being manipulated and governed by religious and extreme rightists since 40 years ? Shall we speak about George W Bush, his religious war against evil? That's your moral ? who decided to sacralize that conflict ? you talk about suicide bombers, i talk about F16 that poored bombs and killed thousands civilians. That's your moral ? please !

But I can't imagine displacing my friends from Gilo! Livni was simply saying not to create a fait accompli before negotiations.

When you say 'lie' it does not make a case. It shows you to be a zealot in your defence of tired UNFOUNDED arguments that the Jews were exiled by the Romans. The arguments you present were Christian arguments from the early church, later adopted by proto zionists in the heady days of nationalism of the 19thC.There was no large scale exile. No mention of it in Roman records.It would have been unique in roman era, so it is no surprise. Only the leading families and zealots were either massacred or exiled. That would have been all. (A few tens of thousands at most).These could not and did not mushroom into the millions of ashkenazis. There are no genetic studies that have proved what you claim, nor do linguistic studies prove your claim. Crusades. Clue: The majority pop of Jerusalem was actually Karaites at the time of the crusades. Jewish population decline was due in part to conversion, to muslim, after the Arab conquest and to other demographics effecting the whole population of Palestine. It is also a fact that there were several times tha number of Jews already living outside of Judah in the time of the first revolt. Possibly up to 8 times more! So there was no need for a roman exile to be invented in order to explain the large numbers of Jews outside of Judah. There was actually a bigger community in Egypt as in pre revolt Judea. Many romans were even converted Jews before Christianity took hold. All these outlier communities almost certainly never even visited Judea. You are simply restating 19thC fictions which were based on Christian [early church]claims in order to support the church claims that the Jews were punished for their rejection of Christ.

eric , declaring a state wont make it so ! in this case the proposed state will still have to negotiate everything with israel. you live in cloud cuckoo land and wont move to alaska to take acold shower!

Rome: Italian Capital, Vatican City capital.

long before the Khazaar hypothesis. Did all those people disappear to be replaced by the Khazaars?In fact there was slow trickle of Jews back to Palestine all along. Genetics also contradict the story you are trying to sell to help your friends claims to all Israel as sacred Waqf. PS With all that conversion how is it the Torah scrolls are unchanged for thousands of years?

No. Since when has Israel decided onthe European Union's foreign policy. If you don't like it impose sanctions.

Please there is a mistake in your post. Nobody is against the Jews. We are ALL AGAINST THE ZIONISTS! We cannot believe that they have lost the moral compass, and thus are provoking a rebirth of anti-semitism. Please ask the Jewish leaders in the USA, EU, etc.

at least in that a number of european states had indicated that they would... and israel's defiance over settlements and jerusalem is sure to ADD to that list of countries. the settlers themselves are REALLY contributing.

"an attempt to prejudge the outcome of issues reserved for permanent status negotiations"~tl you've got the gall to say that when israel has not only "prejudged" the final status, but is creating facts on the ground to that effect? something you yourself have said is not negotiable. boy! i'll bet that drew more than a few double takes! but seriously tzipi, i doubt if the eu is just going to bury it cuz you say so...because it's obviously out to curtail your OWN prejudgement of the final status. lol...it sure doesn't appear that israel is TOO concerned about improved ties and trade with europe, not at the rate its going anyway.

You should read UN Res 181 very carefully: C. DECLARATION A declaration shall be made to the United Nations by the Provisional Government of each proposed State before independence. It shall contain, inter alia, the following clauses: General Provision The stipulations contained in the Declaration are recognized as fundamental laws of the State and no law, regulation or official action shall conflict or interfere with these stipulations, nor shall any law, regulation or official action prevail over them. Declaration of Independence: THE STATE OF ISRAEL is prepared to cooperate with the agencies and representatives of the United Nations in implementing the resolution of the General Assembly of the 29th November, 1947, and will take steps to bring about the economic union of the whole of Eretz-Israel. Israel became a member of the United Nations on 11 May 1949. The preamble to the resolution admitting Israel to United Nations membership specifically referred to Israel?s undertakings to implement General Assembly resolutions 181 (II) and 194 (III), the two resolutions that formed the centre of the Palestine issue in the United Nations: R e c a l l i n g its resolutions of 29 November 1947 and 11 December 1948 and taking note of the declarations and explanations made by the representative of the Government of Israel before the ad hoc Political Committee in respect of the implementation of the said resolutions,.. http://www.un.org/Depts/dpi/palestine/ch2.pdf HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN PALESTINE AND OTHER OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES http://www.mapc-web.de/archive/pal/0801DugardD.html

by foreigners !! the lack of recognition is good for tel aviv landlords !

I wonder, Jim, if you ever think about the Cherokee Wolf Clan and other Native American tribes that used to inhabit the state you now call home. Where are they now? Say, your home wouldn't be sitting on top of one of their sacred burial sites, would it? I'm so encouraged by your great concern for the Palestinian Arab cause, but I'm a bit perplexed as to why you're not active in pushing for the rights of the few orignal people who still remain and the restitution of the territory you and your government stole from them. "Even purchase of palestinian land by Israeli citizens does not transfer the land to the State of Israel any more than a foreign company which purchases land in the USA can transfer that land to their home country."

waiting a very long time. Not even Bush agreed to move the embassy to Jerusalem, nor has any other country. Doesn't matter what Congress says about it with their AIPAC lapdogs barking about the issue. Jews won't get all of Jerusalem. Try to get used to the idea. Either half or international city, but not sole capital of Israel. That was not the agreement when you guys landed and it is not recognized by anybody of importance.

All over Spain during certain festivals, battles are fought that reenact the innumerable Christian and Muslim battles that took place across Spain for 700 years. Similar to Spain, the Temple Mount could become a great showplace where Muslims and Israelis battle it out between them as foreign tourists take pictures and cheer their side on. Might as well benefit economically from the certain mayhem and slaughter that will ensue if Jerusalem is divided.

IN the article, it said that a couple countries were "disinclined" to side with Israel. "Disincline" is defined as "unwilling, reluctant, averse". Therefore, if the article is accurate, the countries will not be silent. They are unwilling, reluctant, averse to siding with Israel's whining about the unfairness. I agree with your post whole heartedly and another poster talked about "disinclined" while wondering if it was inconsistent with what was written in the article. It is not. In other words, Israel has an uphill climb and only US support, tentatively. If Netanyahoo drags his feet, then the EU/UN can get the job done and Obama can move on with his many problems and not play footsie with Netanyahoo, which is a waste of time. 40+ years is long enough. Too late for negotiations. Establish a state by fiat and isolate Israel if she refuses to cooperate just like we did to SAfrica. The mood is there I believe.

about your underlying assertion that Jews are 'worth more' than Palestinians. Talmud teaching? Your argument is a non starter. The issue is about land theft and you feebly attempt to address it by essentially stating the Palestinians aren't worth the trouble. You don't sound Jewish to me. You sound like one of those who is full of himself, thereby causing distaste by observers, which you call "antisemitism". You are full of it. Anything Jews don't like is "antisemitism". We get it. We reject it.

I have read many of your comments and your arguments are always well thought out. I have read all 200 plus comments on this article, and the one that sticks out as dealing with realities on the ground is #152,Zionist forevers very valid observations of underlying costs and physical barriers. Knowone went near his comment. I do not think anyone wants to tackle the tough questions he posed. Would you please give it a go?

You posted the kernel in the kernel!!! Great post. The answer is that those causing the problems over there are Khazar converts trying to steal a beneficial interest in what was never theirs. They know it and so does God. The Israelis are in no way related to the Israelites of old; those espousing such BS spew nonsense.

i predicted a while ago regarding how many will join in against israels racist aparthied state, i mean south africa in the end didn't get awway with it, what makes you think you are?. and as for this islam is taking over the world BS, well it's plain jane scare mongering, but those extremnists are trying, which is only .1% of muslims, if that.

Justice for the Palestinians will never originate with Israel. The leadership of Israel is blinded by zealotry and ideology. Israel will keep stripping away the fabric of Palestine. Palestine needs the support of the EU, especially after the Obama and Hillary capitulation to Netanyahu. It is time that the occupation receives the attention of the world, and it is time that the Palestinians receive the support of the EU and other nations that are appalled at the actions of Israel. I applaud the EU and any other nation that joins with the EU in this action.

I remember during the tenure of Bush jr., when he proclaimed that some of the settlements would remain in Israel. The poor man was crucified as having determined facts prior to negotiations DESPITE that it was in almost every discourse between the parties. How is what the EU doing any better? So if the mid east issue is not solved in Obama's time and another right wing leaning US president comes and says Jerusalem is the undivided capital of Israel, I hope all the posters who see nothing wrong in determining facts before negotiations would also say it is "just" to the palestinians....

Kassandra and Roo, Prof. Sand is repeating the old lie about Ashkanazi Jews being descendents of the Khazars. There was a Turkish Khazar Khanate north of the Caucasus between the 600s and the 1000s. However, they were Turkish speaking. They married daughters of the Jewish aristocracy of Babylonia. However, the Ashkenazis spoke Yiddish, a dialect of German and DNA tests have indicated a middle eastern gene on the male line (Y chromosone). Both linguistic and genetic studies indicate that the Ashkenazis were descendent from Jews in the Rhineland who were expelled during the Crusades and settled in the Polish empire (then including Belarus, Lituania and the Ukraine. From there, they spread to Rumania and Hungary in the South and Russia to the East. How did they get to the German Rhineland? It was part of the Roman Empire and the Jews (expelled from Judea) spread throughout the Roman Empire in every direction. Drop the Jews are Khazars (expel them to Siberia) line.

Minneapolis & St Paul Chicago & Evanston Evanston & Skokie Kansas City & Kansas City Rafah & Rafah Each pair is contiguous, yet has separate governance. In three cases they are in difference states and/or countries. Opposition isn't about anything other than greed.

How about we declare New York an International city for everyone to meddle in, or maybe Pristina in Kosovo??? Who's ever heard of such a thing? If Palestinian borders should ignore the outcomes of the War of 1967, then how about the countries in Eastern Europe and China, for instance, start changing their borders by simply ignoring historical developments? Why should everyone else honor borders attained through war, but Israel and Palestine should not? Could you imagine what chaos would ensure if that happened? Why then should it be allowed in this region?

the "eu document" is a position paper. it is not a criticism. the eu has clearly sided with the arabs against the jewish state.

Does it matter what his origins are if as a leader of Hamas he clearly wants nothing more than to destroy Jewish people? One's identity is a complex thing. If one thinks of oneself as a Muslim, then he is one and vise versa. I think it is pretty obvious that a much greater amount of hatred comes from certain groups of Muslims than does from the Jews. Their is the hatred that is active, the hatred that kills.

"This war isn`t about settlements or Jerusalem. It`s about Arab xenophobia, about them being unable to accept any outsider in their backyard." So you are admitting you are an OUTSIDER in their OWN backyard. Except you kicked them out of their house and now refuse to share it with them. Um that's not xenophobia. But more like a xenophobe's paranoid nightmare come true..

There are good reasons why europe is irrelevant to the ME peace process. It has no power, it has no moral authority, and it has no track record of effectiveness. All it can do is issue statements and threaten boycotts/sanctions. They know all this as well as we do. Their foreign policy is one of appeasement. They don't like Moslems (as events on their own soil show), but they like Moslem money and business and they don't like Moslem violence and terror, so these sorts of proclamations are par for the course. Israel should continue to ignore them. If they really want to play tough, let them try to launch another boycott.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd prefer Jews as my enemy over every other enemy in the world. At least they try to avoid civilian deaths. Bombing of buses and cafes is the most low and cowardly thing I've seen people do. It's a disgrace to the rest of the Islamic world where honor is still a virtue. A victim that cuts throats and kills is not a victim in my book. If I thought that the division of Jerusalem would bring genuine peace, I would whole-heartedly support it. But we all know what chaos will ensure, more demands will be made, and the killings will resume. What's the point then? Is that justice? No, that's Europe being sick of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That's another Kosovo, only much worse.

Nato will not, the UN will not, and the US will not. Some of the Arab states will not. Maybe Cuba and Venesvala will? If the EU tried to impose sanctions on Israel, it will give the US an excuse to place tariffs on EU goods to help rebuild its economy. The Sweds have never been know for being practical.

As long as the the Pals are willing to co-exist with Israel peacefully (which is unlikely), lavish sport stadiums can be built and filled. Outposts will be just become neighborhoods with tree-lined roads connecting it all up. Nice fantasy anyhow. Plenty of mixed neighborhoods exist the world over. Pals will screw it up though because radical Islam trumps all over there. Can't blame Israel for the Pals shortcomings.

Freedom of speech is important in the EU as well as in Israël. However, I hope people interpretate the EU-document as 'just' a critical document and not as an 'anti-semitic' document. Just agree or disagree with (parts of) the EU-document please. If you disagree, you won't find me labeling your disagreement as anti-European or anti-christian. Criticism can be just that, and nothing more.

"This is progress and delivery of JUSTICE" Noshhaba Albdul-Khaliq I see no progress nor JUSTICE in the Islamic Arab World ! This is what one read daily on papers and see on the TV. It must be you who don't read and see, and trying to talk about things never been part of the the Islamic Arab World !! Progress & Justice never been part of your world ! So, please stop telling lies. Talk about how many killed in Iraq, Afghanistan, & now the War of the Saudis with neighbouring 'The Yamen ARAB Republic' !

Well, if israel can do without the euros and all the special deals for israel while not even being a european member country then, israel can happily ask them to butt out, else well, they can continue to complain in vain and have this ignorant and factually wrong screaming minority that you belong to speak for it on the net.

National Geographic reported the following in December 2007: "In 1900, more than 90% of the city of Bethlehem was Christian. Today Bethlehem is only about 33% Christian, and this proportion is steadily shrinking as Christians leave for the EU or US." Why would they leave if not forced out? Can you say ethnic cleansing? You would think that tolerant "Palestinian" Muslims would peacefully coexist with "Palestinian" Christians. You would think that "Palestinians" at least would get along with each other. Guess not, just look at Hamas and Fatah.

Palestinian Arabs began their lovely pogroms against Jews in the 1830s in Jerusalem during their revolt against Egypt, looting houses and raping Jewish women (Palestinians, Kimmerling and Migdal, 1993, p. 8), and their violence against Jews of the non-Zionist old Yishuv continued over the years (Kramer, History of Palestine, 2008, pp. 209-210). There will never be a one-state solution because that would simply be a reversion to the past world of Arab majority violence against Jews, without which Palestinians would now have long ago have had their own state.

Its not the arabs not being being able to accept outsiders in their backyards, its about outsiders kicking them out of their homes and not accepting the previous owners in their stolen backyards.

Let us suspend disbelief for a moment and pretend that Sweden is acting in good faith. Apparently, its memory is awful. Not only has it forgotten the way Jews were treated by Pals, pre the creation of the state of Israel, including pogroms, killing of the sparse pockets of the Jewish population, progressive exclusion from Jerusalem, the Pals aligning themselves with Hitler in the Arab brigade, the banning of Jews from their holiest site and the unprovoked attack of Israel by Pals and all surrounding Arab countries in 1967. This latter event, led to "the occupation", that and subsequent Arab refusal to accept Israel's offer to withdraw in exchange for peace, recognition and negotiation. The Swedish position is nothing short of outrageous. It amounts to blaming the victim, albeit what is now a very strong victim. If theEU initiative is serious, Israel should build a wall between the Jewish quarter, including the wailing wall, and the rest of Jerusalem &, if necessary take more.

If Sweden wants to dictate political outcomes, it should also be held to account. The Muslims living in Sweden and the rest of the EU should be set free to build minarets, Madrasahs and to practice Sharia law. I recall that it was the EU that forced embargoes on South Africa and the former Rhodesia; I don't now recall any European being held to account for the state of those countries. When the poverty rises in an independent Palestine, the bill should be sent to the EU, along with all the millions of destitute asylum seekers from the Arab world not under 'Israeli occupation'.

The EU must have nothing to say about Jerusalem. A subject very far from its responsibilities. A blatant intrusion that is totally unacceptable. It will make the EU unsuitable party in this conflict and Israel must send a massage to the EU rejecting of its unwelcome participation in the "peace process' . This is the result of making this conflict free for all. !

Why are the Palestinians paying the price? The President of Poland sad a while ago during EU negotiations, that his country deserved a higher percent of weight in Eu decision making, to account for the polish citizen who were killed in the last war. Is he a zionist?

'Hey, what world do you live in? Jerusalem was captured in the war of 1967 but the maneuver was never internationally recognized." What world do YOU live in? In my world, Jews have been a majority in Jerusalem since the 1800s. In my world, the Jewish Quarter was in East Jerusalem. In my world, Jordan captured East Jerusalem in 1948 and kicked out every single Jew. In my world, Jordan attacked Israel again 19 years later and lost control over the territories. There was no vacuum, no Arab East Jerusalem prior to 1948. It was only under Arab control (without Jews) for 19 years. Jews got to move back into Jerusalem after this very brief absence. A shame your myopic world doesn't allow for that.

The European Union includes two members of the UN Security Council, England and France. They are all UN members. Wars in the region affect Europe. It's illegal for Israel to hold on to East Jerusalem. It's considered occupied territory according to UN Security Council resolutions, the Geneva Convention, the Hague etc.... They are only expressing what has been stated legally on an international level, but they didn't have the courage to express that to Israel that acts above the law and feels that international law shouldn't be allowed to Israeli Jews, only Arabs of the region like Lebanon (UN Resolution 1701), and their supporters cite the partition idea from the GA (General Assembly), but they reject everything else from the U.N. If Israel wants an Israel and and not one mixed state, then it should compromise.

need to read more often...Europe stripped the Palestinians of their state in 1947 to create the state of Israel. I'm sorry, did I hear you say 'that was unfair.'

Marie: "This goes to show that occupation, colonialism, apartheid and oppression of an innocent and defenceless people cannot go on for ever without the world reacting". Reveillez-vous! These are not Tibetans, Marie. They are people whose leaders have chosen genocide against their neighbours at every turn and forced Israel to look for defendable territory. The virtually constant war waged by Arab armies and terrorist support since 1948 belies your claims of a defenseless people. Splitting cities is a recipe for disaster. I guess that's what you wnat for the innocent people you defend. People who, living in Israel, are able to take jobs in any field, but who in Lebanon have a list of 73 professions that they are not allowed to enter. Remember the Nuremberg Laws?

Hey, what world do you live in? Jerusalem was captured in the war of 1967 but the maneuver was never internationally recognized. Furthermore, EU has power and it will impose the recognition of the Palestinian state. It's backed by France and Britain, although Italy and Spain have disinclined their support, which means "no comment" from their side. Please, wake up. This is not 'bullying.' It's progress and the delivery of JUSTICE that millions have anticipated for decades on in. I take it you don't read much. It's never too late to join in the news arena.

I can just see them suggesting that kind of thing in the Vatican or Mecca. Self-righteous, cowardly guff. Throw the Jews to the Jihadists whilst giving away the rights of Europeans in the face of Sharia. Amman, Gaza City and Ramallah are the 3 Palestinian capitals. Peaceful Pals living in, or visiting the Jewish Capital of Jerusalem are not a problem now, and won't be in the future.

Avi, I don't think it would be the end of peace-talk, it'll be the beginning. are you aware of the way palestinians have been treated by the state of Israel? you don't have to take my word for it, just read the comments made in the goldstone report, what the UN has said, and the recent comments by the EU. IN addition, there are also many personal testimonials by people who have come forward with their stories. How can we disregard all that and side with Israel alone? You speak of the Israel legacy, what about the Palestinian legacy? Have you forgotten that these people had inhabited the land for thousands of years before Europe decided to strip them of their statehood to create Israel? Also, have you forgotten the recent incursion of Dec-Jan 2008 where over a thousand lives were taken? Are those lives cheap? I say, it's about time. Let's do this. In the name of peace and JUSTICE for all.Thank you very much!

Jerusalem has never been a Palestinian capital and anyone who wants it to be one only wants to tear down Israel. This city is and always will be the capital of Israel undivided. There are other solutions much more suited to fairness for both parties but what is a telling sign of motives in all alleged solutions from outsiders is the desire weather in secret or blatant to weaken and destroy Israel. This will never happen and their loud calls for peace are really calls for destruction. That is a dark road to travel and one we should avoid at all costs.

is the only solution. No 'internal' borders, equal rights for all, full freedom of movement for all, full right of return.

it seems the governement of israel promised its people the same as madoff did to his business partners. a bubble of nothing. dissapearing the moment reality shows up.

security wall .

The Sweedes are selling their Morals like always, they depend on Iran's foreign Investments and they know it, that is why they support Muslim Issues so freely - that explains the number if Iranians living in Sweeden. If any body does not believe me, look at their foreign investment for the last 30 years and see for yourselves, so, the Israeli agenda even though it is worth saying it - it will not be much weight unless Israel comes with a firm stand against them. And even Livni knows it.

As Israel has said to the US, it is in the process of saying to the EU: "Stick IT!" If and when the population demographic pressure is felt by Israel and the press for equal rights is felt, only then will Likud realize what has been done. Then they'll look for some kind of answer like getting the EU and US to relocate Ramallah and Bethlehem and Nablus. Or maybe they'll want to re-route the Jordan River. I foresee problems with that. Bibi may think of himself as a Churchill. But a George Wallace is more appropriate. They shall overcome.

This is nothing less than what we should expect to hear if we are to move even close to what is referred to as DECENCY. Free Palestine!

After announcing two states for two people, the freezing of construction for 10 months only wets the appetite for them to demand more and more without even negotiating. Furthermore, Fatah has never denounced its armed struggle against Israel and they will not give it up until all their refugees, 5 million or more return to Israel. With all these concessions that Israel is making, it is assisting in its own ultimate destruction. For those on the left that are dreaming that we, Jews can live side by side with Islamic Jihadists, you may regret your support of all this.

... by Israeli officials... a sport's stadium is almost completed on the outskirts of Ramalla, but Israeli officialdom is demanding that it be dismantled... because it is too near to some illegal settlement...

Ian, as a resident of Flanders, let me make some points to illustrate that your comparison is absurd: 1. The people of Flanders have all human rights, and the ability to vote for the leaders that make laws that affect them, including the Belgium state. They are not occupied. 2. No Flanders citizens are political prisoners. 3. There are no laws which prevent the free movement of people to visit or live in any part of Belgium. 4. The people of Flanders have not declared an independent state, nor is it the stated objective of their elected leadership.

In responce to Heather Czernaik of Milwaukee. Millions of Europens fought and died fighten the Nazies or have you forgot that. Your denial of that fact is as bad as people saying there was no holocaust against the jewish people.My mother lost 7 brothers fighting the Nazies. Do you condone the holocaust of the Palestinians by Israel in Gaza. I feel your insult to the people of Europe is degraceful.

... Jerusalem should be the capital of both Israel and Palestine... anything else would be blatant injustice... even more so than settler occupation of the Pal West Bank... ... it's nice of you to value your USA-Israeli dual citizenship, but what has that got to do with pushing the Pals unjustly out of Jerusalem... and depriving them of their capital city...? ... why can't Jeruslaem be the capital of the two States that justly lay claim to it...?

So what exactly is your contribution to humankind, Jake, as compared to, say, Yoel Margalith, an Israeli scientist at Ben Gurion University who developed a biological control for mosquitoes and black flies that cause malaria and river blindness, which saved the sight and lives of millions of people in Africa and China? (New York Times, 14 June 2007)

Either to jump at the chance for a two-state end, with Jerusalem serving as capital for both states, a single 'Jewish' state, that faces the same problem the 'White' state of South Africa had, or a single state where Jews are a large minority, hoping that the Palestinian people are as magnanimous after their long struggle as the Bantu people were after their's. The tide is shifting on this issue, just as it did 30 years ago for the other. Hesitate, and you'll be like a house seller after the bubble burst, hoping you'll get lucky and someone will be too impatient to wait for the day when they can pick it up, basically for free.

Tzipi Livni has been a great deslusion for me. How many times did she travel to Germany explaining her plans for peace, each time returning with an extra pay check. Now she is trying to block any initiative for East Jerusalem; at the same time she turns her head from the fact that Bibi's executors are systematically "cleaning" it from ethnic Arabs.

Sam Soul... The Arab culture is part of the Israeli culture. Yes... absolutely true, and a genuine culture it is. But that's not what Israelis or Americans need a lesson in. What we need to see is what Arabs and Islam stands for. Not that Israel is a minuscule geographic-dot in the middle east. But tell us how Islam's positive interpretations are being promoted in your madrases, schools and mosques. Why is it that a million Muslims will pour into the streets to protest cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, but not one Arab will take to the streets to protest Muslim suicide bombers. Who indiscriminately blow-up other Muslims or Jews on a daily basis... in Lebanon, Pakistan or Jerusalem. That's the moral lesson we need to hear from you... Sam Soul.

When Eurabia starts moving its Israeli embassies to Jerusalem, capital of Israel, I will start listening, not beforehand. I look forward to when the US does the same. Enough pussy footing around. Congress ruled in favor. The President should follow.

The anti-semitism in Western Europe is like Mad Cow, creating an EU that is devoid of reason and logic and totally ignoring history and peace and proof of racism and revisionism. Glad to know my hatred of Eurabia continues to find merit. Sad to know I am right in disregarding Europe as a place of reason and peace.

Quote: "It`s about Arab xenophobia, about them being unable to accept any outsider in their backyard." ...Jerusalem is by no means anyones "backyard"... ... it will be the capital of two states: Israel and Palestine.

Jerusalem is a dual city, it will be the capital city of two states, Israel and Palestine.

... and there is no way to negate it, neither in foreign capitals nor at home... sincerely hope that the EU holds this to the vote, and that the outcome will be fair to both Israeli and Pals...

Tell me mcqueen, what more is needed that israel has not already helped itself to? Lets see, water, decades of nearly free palestinian labor, compliments of the seige you have placed them under, in their own land! Tens of thousands of lives, to whet the appetite of the settlers who stand by cheering like this is some soccer game. How bout the BILLIONS in military and financial aid that the US and the rest of the world pay as effective bribes to try and foster some semblance of humanity and restraint in a nation that considers itself unbound by internationaly accepted morals and laws? Show me a single israeli who would not fight back with their very lives, if the tables were turned, and their land was being stolen. WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED? THERE MUST BE SOME LIMIT TO YOUR GREED! HAVE YOU NO SHAME?????

Whatever happened to opposition in Israel? Livni delivers the same message as Netanyahu and we're supposed to be able to tell the difference between them? Two prima donna leaders who refuse to go it together for personal, not ideological reasons. Good to see everyone shaken up a little. Now are you or are you not going to put Jerusalem on the table?

"Palestinians" started and lost the wars. Now they want the EU to give them what they didn't win on the battlefield. When "Palestinians" agree that Israel has a right to exist, there will be peace. When "Palestinians" remove the wipe Israel off the map section from their charters, there will be peace. When Hamas, Fatah, Islamic Jihad etc. agree to stop attacking Israel, there will be peace. When the "Palestinians" stop teaching their children to hate Jews and remove racist messages from the school curriculum and from the media, there will be peace. Jordan is the "Palestinian" state.

No,Axel,it underlines how ridiculous the EU position on Israel has become.It's called IRONY,but that may have gone over your head. THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!

Nato will not, the UN will not, and the US will not. Some of the Arab states will not. Maybe Cuba and Venezuela will? If the EU tried to impose santions on Israel, it will give the US an excuse to place tarrifs on EU goods to help rebuild its economy. As much as i like my Swedish relatives, they have never been know for being practical

the jordanian occupation had divided jerusalem. the border was in a street in mea shaarim. one could see the change of the jordanian guards. israelis had no access to the old city or to the kotel. all of this changed after the city's liberation in 1967.

"After the important steps taken by the government of Israel to enable the resumption of negotiations with the Palestinians, the European Union must now exert pressure on the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table. Steps like those being led by Sweden only contribute to the opposite effect," said the statement.. Pressuring Pals to return to the negotiating table is the most critical issue the `anti-Zionists` had been trying to avoid at any cost. For one, because they realize it begins and ends with the mootness of such actions. But they had also realized they had gotten between `the rock and the hard place` because with Israel taking the important step of the construction freeze, there is greatly diminished notorious Israeli riding excuse of `constructions as obsticle to peace`. So they move to proposing the most radical steps in Israeli face to get out of the stalemate. The problem for them is EU itself is divided on that issue and EU`s decision is not the final outcome.

which has not changed since at least Shair,s days. Here it is---tell me if this is the Israel you are climing wants a two state solution---where will the Palestinian state go???.No room for it in this Likud Charter . "The 'Peace & Security' chapter of the 1999 Likud Party platform ?flatly rejects the establishment of a Palestinian Arab state west of the Jordan river.? The chapter continued: ?The Palestinians can run their lives freely in the framework of self-rule, but not as an independent and sovereign state.?[8]" wikipedia Now look at shamir ""Shamir has said Israel must keep the territories in order to accommodate the immigrants. "A great aliyah [immigration]," he said, "requires a Greater Israel."(5) He has insisted that, although Soviet Jews are not being directed to the territories, any Jew has the right to live anywhere in the land of Israel, which for most Israelis includes the territories."

The plans for greater Israel are dead, get over it. Palestinians will have what is rightfully theirs and the Temple Mount WILL NOT be rebuilt. GET OVER IT!

So what exactly is Israel's contribution to mankind Reuven?

"THEN,RECOGNISE INDEPENDENT FLANDERS" That would only underline that no state of the world supports Israeli declarations ...

and Israel has no jurisdiction over East Jersualem, The West Bank or Gaza

when any divided city (especially between bitter enemies) was ever a place at peace. I'm thinking of Sarajevo, Berlin, or Ulster, Srebeniza, Pristina, etc. It's just a recipe for disaster, and Europeans will be able to blame themselves for this catsstrophe they are helping create.

...and so I hope that the EU pushes ahead and if needed we must send in troops to ensure the rights of Palestinians. When will Israel understand that they are destroying themselves? It's laughable to think that Israelis honestly believe the U.S. will still back them once oil runs out in the M.E. It's ridiculous that Israelis actually think they can keep their military superiority. Israel should thank the EU if they follow through on this plan.

You should be the last to tell someone to read his history. Theres something you should know about Jews and Jerusalem and Palestinians not being around. When Joshua led the 12 tribes of the Israelites across the river Jordan into Canaan, also known at that time as Palestine, the land was occupied by semite tribes, Hittites, Amorites and Jebusites. The Jebusites built Jerusalem, and occupied it for 100 years after the Israelites entered Canaan.They weren't called Arabs then, and the Israelites weren't called Jews. Those names weren't known yet. There are many notable historians and scholars who maintain the Jebusites are the forebears of the Palestinians. According to the New York University School of Medicine, and the National Academy of Sciences, Middle East Jewish men and Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian men have the same genetic signature, different from any other non-Jews in the world. Some of those same tribes, and the Canaanites also occupied Judea and Samaria.

.....with Antwerp as its capital. THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!

First Europe tried to anniliate the Jews. Now they are trying to anniliate Israel.

is just trying to get her name before the public by jumping on the band-wagon. She will do anything to be recognized. Her many failures as FM have not gone unrecognized !

when Mecca is divided, then i would agree to divide Jerusalem

Get over it. There is no such place as East Jerusalem. However, there is a Greater Jerusalem and it is the capital of Israel. The sooner the rest of the world realizes this they will be able to get on with their daily lives.

Absolutely great news! This goes to show that occupation, colonialism, apartheid and oppression of an innocent and defenceless people cannot go on for ever without the world reacting. I am proud to be a European!

SDHD wrote "Israel is the occupying power in the West Bank. Israel may have no jurisdiction in the part of Palestine which became, "Jordan," but it has plenty of jurisdiction in the West Bank. Or, maybe you haven`t been paying attention. You want to refer to Israel as an occupying power, but claim it has no jurisdiction either? Anti-Israelis certainly tend to be oblivious." SDHD should note that jurisdiction is the right to apply the law. Be definition, occupying forces have no rights. They only have responsiblities. All occupied territory is outside the jurisdiction of Israel for this very reason.

Time and time again Israel makes the argument that any discussion of Jerusalem implies or prejudges the outcome of final status issues. As if forcibly altering the demographics of Jerusalem does not prejudge a particular outcome of a final status issue. Netanyahu's so-called settlement freeze does not include Jerusalem. Interesting...so, all the new construction in Jerusalem does not prejudge the outcome of a final status issue. Yet, merely having some folks in a room in Brussels say that both peoples have rights in Jerusalem does constitute prejudgment of a final status issue. Borrowing a phrase from everyone's favorite expert on settlements (Sarah Palin), the above logic is completely "backasswards."

muslims authonomy over northern part of that Country... Lately, too amny outsiders dictating what Israel must do and whats not... Israel must be firm and inform swedes that if they will go ahead with empty promisses of squandering Land of Israel then Israel in turn should freeze all and any negotiation activities with palestinians indefinitely. And, speed up construction in Jerusalem and other places that currently under negotiations,,...

how many repeated finals would be played if a Palestinian/Arab team would join the competition? What about the breaking of the rules in 1947? Was this cricket?

Heather from the USA writes "Since when does any country in the Diaspora have a right to dictate Israel`s internal affairs? Europe did nothing to stop the Holocaust. It is only fitting that Europe butt out and stay out!" Heather fom the USA should note that Israel has no jurisdiction over East Jerusalem, since aquiring land via war has been illegal at least since WWII. The EU's position is accurate and in accordance with the law. Israel's behaviour in this regard is totally illegal and reeks of racism and Apartheid.

What's wrong with you...because the European Union has not declared war on Israel..how crazy is your posting. The EU decision states: that Jerusalem be a divided city is not close to a declaration of war. It's a political body doing politics. Europe and America are your friends in Israel but you and other individuals should recognize this and respect what we have done.

Tzipi is to the right of Bibi. Wow. While Bibi freezes all construction in Yesha, and that includes Jerusalem (don't fool yourself that Jerusalem is not included), along comes Tzipi and tells the EU to bud out. We all know that the only pupose of the freeze is in preparation for the handover of the West Bank and Jerusalem. There is no other conceivable purpose. This silliness of a freeze to get talks started, is really silly. What are you going to talk about if not giving Abbas everything he wants including Jerusalem, the law of arab (not Jewish) return, etc. So Tzipi has become a right wing extremist. Next she will be wearing a "Kahane was right" armband.

... relocating Ottawa and Washingting DC to share International Falls MN as capital of both countries. It would not work, even between people that like each other. EU, in their spate of PC, is setting up a disaster.

Livni has huge balls to pretend that a unilateral EU statement on the status of Jerusalem preempts peace talks, when it has been ISRAEL's uniliateral claim of ownership of all of Jerusalem that has helped ruin peace talks for decades. The EU should pull their comments about East Jerusalem and leave the matter up to negotiation ONLY after Israel has pulled their claims to Jerusalem, and left all of Jerusalem up to negotiations. Either Jerusalem's status is left to peace talks, or it isn't. Israel can't claim they own it, and then say it is up to peace talks at the same time.

Go to Israel and learn that you can't tell most Jews and Arabs apart because both are Semitic, including most U.S. and European Jews. Most Jews of Europe are darker than most north Europeans and look foreign to them, Middle Eastern, to be precise - so why do u think the Nazis were against the Jews in the first place? And how do u think they found out and caught many who tried to flee? It's because they looked different. It was a basis for the Nazi machine. And don't talk of light-skinned Jews unless you're ready for the fact that there are far more light-skinned Arabs, and Arabs period, than jews. Jews and Arabs pass as each other always, have related language, so yes, anti-semitism is a misnomer when applied to Jews alone. But Jews are native to MidEast and some Jewish communities hung on in Israel from ancient times to now. Other Jews return, all have a right to their ONE tiny Jewish state. So many morons are duped by the HUGE "Pal"/Hamas/Arab/Muslim oil-funded propaganda machine.

Jerusalem belong to Israel = all religions can visit their respective holy sights Under Jordanian rule = many religions barred from entering religious sight. I now ask everyone, who they prefer to run Jerusalem??? Time to wake up people and realize that the palestinian leadership and backers are corrupt and make profits in keeping the palestinians in poverty. AM Yisrael Chai

The EU servants of the ordinary people have finally listened to their electorate who have been campaigning for this for several years. The EU Foreign Ministers have recognised that Israel, through sheer lies and deception, have constantly postponed any real peace in Palestine. No one believes a word that comes from Israel anymore except the religious nuts in the US and the land hungry in Israel. You made a huge mistake voting the likes of Bibi and the Moldovan bouncer into government, they have opened up Israel's duplicity for all to see. You only have yourselves to blame. The EU is following International law and resolution that were passed. This same law that Israel has arrogantly disregarded over the last 60 years.You have been told countless times here that governments and their peoples would get sick of the arrogance of Israel, that time has now come. Next step is to cancel any trade and import agreements between the EU and Israel. You can trade with your neighbours.

It is time that some states prove that they are not under the influence of any lobby.

WHen Jordan controlled Jerusalam did they allow the Jewish population to pray at wall. Why do Muslims pray with ther donkeys facing Jersulam? How many Churches does the Arab nations have. Do you think they will allow more Churches to be built. eUROPE IS AGAIN TURNING ITS BACK ON THE jEWS iT WAS THE aRAB NATIONS THAT STARTED WARS AND LOST THE LAND, iT WAS THE ABSENTEE Arab landlord that sold land to the Jewish Nation Fund, No land was stolen

as long as I can say Hugo Chavez is a Pumpkin Head. LOL!

Considering that JERUSALEM was suppose to be made an INTERNATIONAL CITY during partition of Mandate PALESTINE. If Israel keeps (West) Jerusalem as their capital, it is fitting that the Palestinans keeping (East)Jerusalem(better known as AL QUDS) as their capital too, especially as the whole world NEVER RECOGNIZED the annexation of EAST/WEST Jerusalem. The USA also understand the complexicity of Jerusalem,as a capital of NOBODY, therefore PM Netanyahu, should be well advise to COMPLETELY Freezing all settlements activities in East Jerusalem for the sake of NEGOCIATION/PEACE?SECURITY, WHY prolongue the agony? When finally it will come to the inevitable conclusion of Jerusalem being the capital of both entities. The only way Jerusalem can stay the Capital of Israel is by becoming a BINATIONAL State, a state for all its citizens, and of course,and ADIOS to the JEWISH STATE of ISRAEL.

Europe! I hope you do not chiken out and go back on your word , it is about time , that is better for us Jews , We need some one to save us from our arrogance , We have got it all, US , EU, UN,you name it, we rule the world, and one day this might all change, when every body wake up,and realizing what we are doing to the rest of humanity.

"...saying such a move would harm the chances of renewing Middle East peace negotiations." What peace negotiations? Let's get this over with so people can go on living.

quote: "EU has no jurisdiction over Israel" Jim: "True! No more than Israel has over Palestine." Israel is the occupying power in the West Bank. Israel may have no jurisdiction in the part of Palestine which became, "Jordan," but it has plenty of jurisdiction in the West Bank. Or, maybe you haven't been paying attention. You want to refer to Israel as an occupying power, but claim it has no jurisdiction either? Anti-Israelis certainly tend to be oblivious.

which require an acceptable solution to both sides.

That's a great question Kassandra. My questions is "Who gave the UN General Assembly universal jurisdiction to partition Palestine in 1947?" Moreso, since the UN resolution 181 was never ratified by the UN Security Council to make it binding on all parties.

"Those are the only two choices left for Israel: 1) The DE JURE border of 1947, or 2) The DE FACTO border of 1967." Poor lad, you are truly daft. Those are not choices. Here's the most realistic choice of all -- one Arafat accepted a year after rejecting it: 3) Both sides negotiate final borders.

So you wont give up Jerusalem, you wont freeze settlements, you wont give up occupied territories, you wont allow the Palestinians the right of return, they cant have an armed army, and you wont allow the people of Gaza their basic human rights. Can someone please tell me what Israel is actually offering the Palestinians?

At its heart, the Palestinians real argument is premised on the idea that Moslems have superior rights than other peoples such that once land is conquered in the name of Islam, even for a short time,it belongs forever to the Moslem world, even if re-taken by its original owners. So, in essence, the Palestinians arrogantly assert that 19 years of illegal occupation by Jordan thus transformed the ancient Jewish capitol of Jerusalem into "Palestinian land." Of course, "E. Jerusalem" happens also to be the strategic high points to attack the remainder militarily.

age policies, in comparission to the things that are going to follow these steps.

If Israeli settlements were the primary obstacle to peace between Israel and its neighbors, there would have been an agreement between 1948 and 1967, when Egypt and Jordan occupied Gaza and the West Bank, or in the years following, when Arabs were boycotting talks with Israel while Israel was seeking peace. Israelis, including their new prime minister, would welcome a two-state solution, with a Jewish state and an Arab state living in peace and security alongside each other. But at a time when even media-darling Arab "moderates" insist on the "right" of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Arabs to move to Israel, Israel's more than one million Arab citizens insist that their current homes remain on the Jewish side of any final border - not in "Palestine" - and terror continues to fall from the skies from settlement-free Gaza. It is clear that only Israel's Jews support an authentic "two states for two peoples" solution to the conflict.

SHAYKH PROF. PALAZZI COMMENTS: God wanted to give Avraham a double blessing, through Ishmael and through Isaac, and ordered that Ishmael's descendents should live in the desert of Arabia and Isaac's in Canaan. The Qur'an recognizes the Land of Israel as the heritage of the Jews and it explains that, before the Last Judgment, Jews will return to dwell there. This prophecy has already been fulfilled King Faysal of Iraq said: "The Arabs, and particularly the educated ones among them, must look at the Zionist movement with the deepest sympathy."

3.) Jerusalem (all of the city) has a solid Jewish majority already since the year 1900 !! - long before the big waves of `Zionist immigration`took place. Chris, you keep confusing international law with your own political opinion. That is excusable, since you are not the only one confusing the `law`with politics. But as a matter of fact, the territory indeed is disputed (according to international law and not `occupied`, especially when it comes to Jerusalem. Even if the majority of today's world says otherwise - maybe you take a closer look. Having said that, I would like to emphasize that disputed territory is neither Israeli nor Palestinian Territory until solved in negotiations. Even the coming European resolution doesn't change that. And I am pretty sure that the final wording will be accordingly much more careful then the draft discussed here! At least Germany will work toward a more reasonable wording. Best wishes

1. Israel recognises Jordan as a member of the United Nations and such as a soveriegn country. Jordan and Israel have both signed peace treaties. Jordan is not an illegal entity. Even if Zionists the world over wishes it was in their pursuit of living space to the East. 2. Jerusalem was not intended to be the capital of a state designed by the United Nations in 1948 and designated the name of Israel. The fact that Israel has not stayed behind the borders designated it in 1948 shows Israel has also rejected this plan and as a consequence everything is negotiable. What is not in question from 1947 it is illegal for any country to sieze land by force. Which in the case of East Jerusalem is exactly what Israel did.

A scandal has arisen out of the United States military establishment after Pentagon pressure on Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to withdraw from a massive aircraft tender for the Indian Air Force leaves competing American aerospace companies in prime position to win it. On the table: a $12 billion Indian Ministry of Defense tender for 126 multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) for the Indian Air Force. In a bid to win the tender, IAI was offered a partnership with Sweden's Saab AB to jointly develop an advanced model of the JAS-39 Gripen jet fighter. Israel was to build the electronic systems for the craft, including communications, electronic warfare and radar systems.

Hundred percent agreed what you are stating. As you said "ITS ABOUT TIME".

I am glad you feel good in the UK, just as CJ likes Australia, NZ, Germany, Japan (!) and Russia, etc. for the Jews. I rely on my own one third life spent living and working in several European countries including Austria, France, and UK, as well as travelling absolutely everywhere except, say, Albania...I also rely on lots of articles in various journals of late, describing increased antisemitic aggression in various countries including the UK, Germany and France. Not to speak of the various attempts at boycotting Israeli universities, etc. In some places, Jews are advised to look not Jewish...for their own safety... The thing about vibrancy is that Jews are a vibrant people anywhere they live anyway!!! In Kasrilevke too...But HOME is only in the US and Israel plus Canada. After all Jews have serious problems in Israel too, as well as in the US, as Cipora says about its universities, but still, it is home!

"The Palestinian State`s capital was defined as East Jerusalem. Israel`s capital was decided to be Tel Aviv. Amman is capital of a country called Jordan. Which is completely separate from the current Palestinian and Israeli conflict." (143) 1.) Jordan is part of the actual problem - it was illegally carved out from the Palestine Mandate by the British (Against the terms and conditions of the mandate). To actually solve today's problem, Jordan ought to be included in a negotiated solution. 2.) Jerusalem was never supposed to be a Palestinian capital, not according to any plan. It supposed to be an international administrated entity according to the division plan from 1947 but the Arabs have refused that plan anyway and started a war against Israel. That plan that u keep referring to is therefore null and void. During the Islamic era and later in the Ottoman empire, Jerusalem played an religious but never a political role. Ramallah used to be the political and administrative center!

Just saw Prof. Sand on TV. He repeated the well-known truth that a Hamas leader in Gaza will more likely have been a descendant of the original Jewish tribes than a settler/squatter from the USA with ancestors from god-knows-where. Why are Israeli Jews so anti-Semitic towards the original Semitic inhabitants of their country?

and, since 19th and early 20th century European colonialism is responsible for the chaos that is the ME, more generally, they should just butt out. They've done enough harm as it is!

if you want to give land back to the Palestinians that was taken during the 6 day war and take into account that Israel was attacked by the surrounding Arab nations, how about giving Texas back to Mexico?

That's a huge question mark.

SITUATION 1 You divide the city then you must build physical border crossing because all countries need secure borders. You will have situations where there will be people living in 1 part of the city and working in another & they have to cross a border everyday which can be closed at any time. Who do you pay things like taxes to? There will be no major investment if a big company wants to set up a plant in a city they dont want it to be divided. SITUATION 2 Jerusalem is some kind of open city Who do investors approach they like to deal with a country not a just a municipality How do public infastructures get decided and who will pay what towards it Who do you pay your taxes to All those practical problems and again you have the problem of borders the city will have to be a walled city if we want to stop each other crossing into the others country because we cant have open borders. Dividing a city is easy in a theortical politics but it doesnt take into account reality.

then share it wholly.

Jerusalem was never going to be a unified capital of Israel. And as it is illegal to take land by force, all claims by Israel to East Jerusalem is illegal under international law. About time the European Union pointed this out.

It was the Arabs who allowed the Jews back into Jerusalem from where the Byzantines had mostly excluded them.Jerusalem prior to the Ottomans was Arab dominated for much of the period. Since the time of the Arab conquest in the 7th C.up until the 9th and 10th centuries by which time in Jerusalem the majority of Jerusalemites were actually 'Karaites' who [unhindered by rabbinical prohibitions from returning to the city before the messiah returned] had been drawn to the city during this period. Karaites considered themselves Jewish but were deemed heretics by rabbinical authorities. These Jews were presumably massacred in the Christian crusade to come along with the Muslim inhabitants. It is quite complex and the mixing of peoples [many Jews converting to Islam over an extended period] also further confuses the situation. Only in the 19thC did the ultra orthodox Jews once again constitute a majority in the city. Many of these Jews however are quite likely descendants of late converts, ultra orthodox Jews emanating originally from Khazaria. See Professor of History at Tel Aviv University, Shlomo Sand's; 'Invention of the Jewish People'.

israel is both historically,presently and in the future, the legitimate as the home of the JEWISH people. They did not come into being as a result of the holocaust, even though it was a very good and just reason for it as a result of the holocaust, but the location was not just randomly selected you buffoons. Israel(what used to be called palestine as given to the jewish land by the romans)does not have to justify it's existance or it's self defense. They said yes to the full partition in 1947..did you miss that or something? arabs said no..what about 48? what about husseini telling arabs to leave? what about 1964(PLO founding) 3 full yrs PRIOR to any occupation...go on, say something you anti semtic goofs. does your anti semitism blind you to facts? israel has NEVER targeted any civilians..whereas the pals always strategically target israeli civilians...question for you; if there was no occupation in 1964, what was the PLO founded to liberate?

so let's see, the land you live on was stolen. Ergo, if the indians don't like the deal they got, they have a right to suicide bomb your family in a cafe, say in dallas, and then tell you that you need to leave, and you would leave? unlike your situation where you are on someone else's land, israel has always been on the same land... In 1967, israel fought a defensive war and kept land that was used to attack them from and ever after always asked to trade it back for full recognition and the 'pals' always refused...not to mention the fact that it wasnt 'pal' land before...it was egyptian and jordanian. "palestine" for 2,000 yrs was known as home of the jews..the romans gave it that name..only gaza has some history for the come lately "pals"...the pals want more than just WB and Gaza...so do all of the arabs..how do you feel about hamas, it's charter, or the PA's unamended charter? when are you leaving dallas?

tell me 'yaakov', are you familar with the fact that he PLO was founded in 1964? Do you know why? Do you know what the acronym PLO stands for? Do you understand the significance of the date? Do you know what was and still is in their founding charter? Let's see what our little 'yaakov' has to say shall we? :-)

1947 partition plan never said jerusalem is the capital of any nation it was going to be an international city which belong to nobody! Israels capital was never tel aviv UN suggested that but knesset was always in Jerusalem after the war of 48 but on the west side. palestinians rejected partition plan so they rejected the plan even if it suggested a jerusalem as their capital they had never that capital. during the jordanian occupation no jews were allowed to their holy sites while today arabs and jews and christians can pray in jerusalem. isnt it better than those times where only muslims were allowed to pray. everybody can pray now.

The state of Israel was re-established in 1948. All previous claims to land are inadmissable under international law. International Law also makes clear that the taking of land by force is not recognised. If the European Union states that East Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine. The EU will merely confirming this part of International Law. Planet Earth does not recognise Israeli soveriegnty of East Jerusalem, and does not recognise Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem. Any amount of huffing and puffing by your good selfd will not change that. Israel's capital as recognised by the International Community (ie Planet Earth) is Tel Aviv that is where our embassies are. Unless of course you know different.

East Jerusalenm is the capital of the State of Palestine as envisaged when Israel was recreated by the United Nations as a home for the Jews who survived the Holocaust. The Palestinian State's capital was defined as East Jerusalem. Israel's capital was decided to be Tel Aviv. Amman is capital of a country called Jordan. Which is completely seperate from the current Palestinian and Israeli conflict. Jordan of course being a state that Israel has recognised and has signed a peace treaty with.

Nice to see the EU finally take some action and show some spine on the issue of East Jerusalem. The entire International community regards E. Jerusalem as part of the occupied territories and it is regardless of the mindless drivel coming out of the Israeli right wing. Now it's time for the Obama Administration to show some backbone for a change on this issue and support the EU on this action.

in the global village. That is what poster Yona has written and tht is the truth. Israel is the new Jewish ghetto in the global village, for majority world opinion is against Israel now just as majority German opinion was against Jews then. And it is no wonder, as billions of Christians and Muslims have and have had no historic choice but to say Jews are wrong, in order to say their faiths are right. This is pure math odds of a huge majority over a tiny minority. The huge majority forgets that more Jews ere made refugees from Arab lands than "Pals" were made refugees from Israel. They forget that the Arab world can easily absorb Arab refugees just as tiny Israel absorbed their own. They forget that Egypt also has a Gaza border and is thus equally - if not much more - responsible for any Gaza siege and suffering. Jew-haters are a very great many. And oh-so-disgusting.

in King David's Israel Jordan WAS a part of Israel.

years ago and Prior to the Ottoman empire IT WAS JEWISH no Palestinians around..... read your history

Nearly all of Europe was occupied by the nazis during the second world war and did not willingly take part in the Holocaust. Sweden was a neutral country and accepted many refugees during the war from the occupied countries, jews among them. A swedish diplomat in Budapest issued many Swedish passports to Hungarian Jews during the last year of the war and managed to save many jews.

Hold our city Israel. Jerusalem will not be divided.

The Palestinians and Israelis will be forced to accept the European solution or bear the consequences from that. The Palestinans will loose the right to return of former refugees, when the Israels are limited to the Green Line.

Wow, I was suprised by this article and the clear stance the EU has finally taken on the subject! Was about damn time, seriously! I hope they keep it up and don't cave.

European support for a divided Jerusalem is the biggest favor they could have done for the Jewish right wing. Now even the Peace Now movement and all Israeli moderates will find themselves forced to harden any position against even a creative compromise on administering a united Jerusalem. The EU has no clue of the reality. Moderates will fight their position for another 60 years rather than accept it.

Mark, you write: "The Palestinian PR machine has tried to frame their cause as an underdog (successfully), the facts say otherwise." Go on, go to Gaza and see if you can say with a straight face "you are not the underdogs in this conflict, your living conditions are as good as the Israelis".

The annexation of East Jerusalem was declared illegal by UNSC Resolution 252 (1968) of 21 May 1968 UNSC Resolution 267 (1969) of 3 July 1969 UNSC Resolution 271 (1969) of 15 September 1969, UNSC Resolution 298 (1971) of 25 September 1971, UNSC Resolution 465 (1980) of 1 March 1980, UNSC Resolution 476 (1980) of 30 June 1980

dunno why are people protesting now because its a done deal.

and never actually been in Jerusalem, Israel has been treting the city as divided since 1967. The EU and hopefully the US just recognize this realty.

The world is tured of waining on Israel to freeze all settlement activity and negotiate in good faith with the Palestinians. Hopefully, Russia, China and other nations will follow suit, They have let the US single-handedly controvert humanity, international law and justice for far too long. Moreover, Barak has had his fill of Netanyahu's lies, false promises, threats and demands. If the Palestinians declare a state, it is by no means certain that the US would veto UN membership, especially, if the nations of the EU recognize Palestine. Any efforts at annexation by Israel would almost certainly elicit a broad-based boycott, especially if accompanied by violence. Wake up Israel. Get your head out of the sand. The end of of the occupuation and settlements is near, whether you cooperate or not. Most Israelis are not willing to pay too great a price to keep what all the world regards as stolen land. Change now, while you can save face.

It loooks like the EU is throwing UN resolution 242 out the window.

Why are you all concerned? Since when a declaration irritates Israel? All UNGA & UNSC Resolutions, Peace Treaties, HR Resolutions, International Courts advisory opinions, and other International understandings concerning Israel, Palestine and Middle East are resting in drawers, and never posed a threat to Israel. The Whole world recognizes Israel as a sovereign state, and the whole world is living peacefully with the fact that Israel is the sole exceptional state beyond International norms and treaties. I do not understand why Israel is still claiming that there is a peace process. We keep reading Israeli officials statements that Israel has no partner for peace ? and now with the coming EU declaration (if declared and if made a difference), Officials are saying that this declaration harms the peace process. The facts on the ground shows a situation best described as an occupation power which is killing people, imprisoning people, isolating regions, confiscating lands, demolishing houses, oppressing freedoms. Simply, controlling every and each aspect of the Palestinian life. And yet, the world is living with it. So why bother? Let the EU declaration join other papers in drawers.

1) Over 99.5% of all the land in the ME is controlled by Muslim nations. 2) Israel is surrounded by 21 Muslim nation (22 with a Palestinian state). 3) Their are 57 Muslim nations in the UN out of 192 ( 29.68% 0f the UN). All this talk about borders is out of context of this reality. We have been falsely led to believe this a conflict between the big bad Israel and the poor defenseless Palestinians. As the statistics above illustrate, Israel is vastly outnumbered on all fronts so any discussions of borders must favor Israel, at least and until its neighbors prove they truly want peace. The Palestinian PR machine has tried to frame their cause as an underdog (successfully), the facts say otherwise.

well done EU

Israelis are in complete denial about the occupation of Palestinian land. After repeating to themselves for decades that all of Jerusalem is "Jewish", but the entire world - including the USA - disagrees: occupied East jerusalem is to be capitol of the Palestinian state. This is implicetely the principle of all the "peace initiatives" that Israel did and did not cooperate in, including the "generoud offer" of Barak at Camp David: East Jerusalem, including the kotel, excluding the jewish neighbourhood of the kotel, is to be Palestine. Israelis, please return to reality and accept this simple fact: a thief can say that he is the owner of the object he stole 42 years ago, but democratic justice (not Israeli justice) says the items should be returned. The entire world is against stealing, so end the hypocritical lies. Is all of Rome Catholic? Is all of Geneve Protestant? Is all of Mumbai Hindu? Is all of Europe Christian?

"The process being led by Sweden harms the European Union's ability to take part as a significant mediator in the political process between Israel and the Palestinians," said a statement by Israel's Foreign Ministry. Yes .. it advances peace.

As I recall, most European nations participated willingly in sending their Jews to Hitler's extermination camps, resulting in the deaths of about half of the world's Jewish population of the time. Now they are supporting the Arabs, whose call since 1947 has been to drive the Jews of the Middle East into the sea. It is just a case of history repeating itself. Do you recall how many weapons Europe supplied to the Arabs when they instituted the 1948 and Yom Kippur wars? And who led the armies of Jordan that marched into Jerusalem and turned the Western Wall into a latrine? A British officer!!

There is a vibrant jewish community in London and elsewhere in the UK of course. I have two children, one just started working, the other just started university. She is only one of a handful of jews at the uni and she has told people she is jewish without any problems resulting. My son has never encountered any problems either and he went to Leeds uni which has a large jewish contingent and he has always mixed with both jews and non jews without giving it a second thought. You sound like my father who could also go back to the thirties, blackshirt era east end etc. todays younger generation is far more comfortable in UK society than mine and mine was far more so than my parents. Because there is some sympathy with palestinians in europe and none in north america seems to be the only source for your complaint. As with south africa, the US and israel were also resistant to the opposition to apartheid. It was they who were out of step with the moral zeitgeist and not Europe. Times change, you should not look backwards to the 30's for justification for your own anti Europe bias.

There are no peace talks to harm. It'll focus minds, this EU step, whether it comes to fruition or not. And minds need to be focused because they are straying all over the place. Enforcers of the "suspension of settlement expansion" (it's not called a freeze in Hebrew) were unable to do their jobs properly today because their inspectors are being "chased away" from the places that are infringing that suspension. When the suspension was announced and the official instruction delivered, the head of the Yesha Council tore it up without reading it. The smallest gesture Netanyahu could get away with making to the Palestinians looks like it might be more than he's likely to manage, never mind Jerusalem or - what did they say? Peace talks? What peace talks?

how so many people from the US claim this land and Jerusalem to be theirs and at the same time deny palestinian rights. Shall we refresh the memory of our american fellows ? Israel is part of Orient not Occident. Israel has borders with Lebanon, Egypt, Syria and Jordan (and soon Palestine). The arab culture is part of Israeli culture. Difficult to accept for a guy from Cleveland or Colorado...but once this is understood and accepted, we can all move forward. Good luck !

Why EU ( means 27 European nations)should act against the UN resolutions 252,267,271,298,476 ans specially 478??? Also US has never recognized the unification of Jerusalen. Sweden is only leading the presidency of EU at the moment. It cannot make decisions or give declarations alone. All the decisions have been made by the majority of those 27 countries.

...like the Palestinians did in 1948. In order to achieve a fair result it may be necessary for 20 years or so.

1) Israel will not just abandon its settlements in Judea & Samaria or east Jerusalem. Its not going to give away the Old City 2) This doesn't solve issues like water & Israel controls infastructure 3) It doesn't allow for travel between Judea & Samaria and Gaza and if this state is declared without Israels permission then it will seal borders so the only way the palestinians will be able to travel between both parts of their state will be via Egypt & Jordan 4) Israel still controls the palestinians only access to the sea with warships off Gaza. Israel can destroy this state without firing a single shot. Also if a unilateral state is declared it will spark a war between Israel & palestinians on a scale we have never seen before & if it gets out of control it risks dragging Jordan, Egypt and possibly even Lebanon & Syria into it so we will have a regional war all because palestinians decided to go it alone. Israel will win the war but casualties on all sides will be huge

Eu stance has been the same all the time and follows the International Law. The Stance of US has not changes either...There are some five nations which have recognized the Unification of Jerusalem .

The EU has yet to recognize any part of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Should they recognize East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital, they will have no moral or legal right to continue witholding recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and Israel can demand that they move their embassies there from Tel-Aviv.

I am convinced Sarkozy is behind this measure! It is wrong, wrong and wrong! It is only dictated by spite! How can the EU ignore that there are 300,000 settlers in Jerusalem? How dare the EU inaugurate its foreign policy by dividing what cannot be divided, the holiest of places? Unilateralism is not the solution, unilateralism is the problem! It is time to hold honest peace negotiations without preconditions, but with clarity: and the fact of the matter is, the settlers must be told the truth and be treated with dignity, not like pawns, not like suckers. It is Netanyahu's responsibility to do so, and to acknowledge that he is blatantly lying to the settlers. The same goes for the refugees: Abu Mazen must tell them the truth. Let Jerusalem be the capital of Israel and Al-Quds the capital of Palestine: two cities living side by side. Let us not destroy or rebuild our temples! The new temple is Peace! The new temple is the Peace of the Braves! The new temple is the Peace of David

That's a notable observation, summing up the state of Israel in a nutshell.

If the Swedes and others want to impose their ideas on the Middle east, then the Muslims living in those European countries have every right to erect minarets, build madrasahs, impose sharia law wherever they want; that's number one. Number two; when the Arab/Muslim populations speed up their ever increasing migration into Europe, Israel should help with the logistics. The European embargoes on South Africa and Rhodesia had very grave consequences for those countries; which European is now being held to account? BUT, they will be held to account if any harm is done to Israel - remember that.

The Israeli government wants to position as a disputed issue, but in the eyes of Europe and the US, it is not. There is nothing in the EU position that the Obama administration does not agree with, it only takes a different approach.

The limits of the new settlement freeze.......

and Australia and New Zealand and Germany and Japan and Russia and the UK and numerous other countries.

EU's foreign ministers are proceeding in a totally undiplomatic manner. Unilateral declarations of this sort, do not maneuver the two sides toward a resolution. Instead, this leads to divisiveness and hardening of positions. An external body can not dictate a solution... only the parties involved can negotiate an outcome for themselves. There is another aspect that plays into this narrative. That is the newly elected Israeli administration. They certainly do not help in any way. But the most blatant omission, is Hamas in Gaza. Which I suspect would derail the European dictates... in the first place.

All settlements in the occupied territories are illegal. Period. The idea of the settlements was to make a viable two state soltuion impossible. The EU has only acted unilaterally because Israel has played the settlement game for years. You cannot keep on building and pretend you want peace. Finally their bluff is being called. There are now half a million settlers in what should become a Palestinian state. Pity Obama did not have the same courage, but with this he may yet discover it.

The Palestinians are in no position even to propose the 1947/48 borders now. Their use of force in initiating a civil war and in a later stage participating with Arab countries in a declared war of extermination against the Jews violated the Charter of the United Nations (Strawson, 2006). At first the Yishuv fought this war (in the civil war stage) purely defensively (Morris, 1948: First Arab Israeli War, 2008, p. 99). For the Palestinians now to assert any right to those borders violates general principles of law forbidding a party that has unlawfully violated a transaction from later seeking to enforce it.

...accept to give ALL the Palestinians Israeli citizenship, full rights in all aspects - with the background of their HEBREW ancestry ! Are you prepared to that ? Are you prepared to acknowledge that the overwhelming majority of Moslem and Christian Palestinians are the offspring of those Hebrews and Jews that were not brought into the Diaspora in 70 AD ? Those who remained ? Or are you still going to deny all the historic, genetic and archeologic evidence which now is gradually being revealed ?

Miilions of palestinian refugees can take homes of jewish refugees from Arab world, and according to the numbers - each one of them would have more than one house. Why Arab states don't give that houses to the muslims unsatisfied with conditions of living in Israel?

and it's high time it used this leverage. All the threats by Israel supporters to break off diplomatic relations with the EU are pathetic. The EU has the ability, if it so wished, to hit Israel where it hurts and I wish they would. It's high time Israel was taught that it's not above international law.

What in the UN's track record should convince Israelis of their safety or fair treatement under the UN? PS.That there were no recognised borders was at Arab insistence.

It can't work It won't work It's the worst worst idea ever. It guarantees ongoing conflict. Who wants endless Qassams over Jerusalem?

It was refused by the Palestinians.

Is all this fighting, killing, misery and hate just over a stupid little piece of land? I mean come on... It's just not worth it. The human race can be sooo stupid! Grow UP everybody!

of a few facts also. the '67 border is in fact an armistice, you are correct. Israels actual borders are what they declared to the UN in May of 1948. It would be generous of the Palestinians to declare their state along the armistice lines. It would be smarter to declare them as Israel was in 1948 and negotiate away to the 67 lines while securing water rights and a non aggression treaty. Jerusalem should be an international city governed by the UN.

It says here "Jerusalem is waging a diplomatic campaign" against the EU re-affirming what has always been the EU and international position - named that the invasion, occupation and annexation of Old Jerusalem in '67 is completely unlawful. What I think you mean is that "West Jerusalem is waging a diploamtic campaign". I am sure the leadership of occupied East Jerusalem fully supports international law in this regard.

"while they [Israeli government] have been annexing more Palestinian land ... they have managed to shift the focus to Iran." Clever diversionary maneuver, isn't it? But Iran has never said that she would attack Israel, only that she would defend herself if she were attacked by Israel. Iran will not start a war with Israel. She holds to the long term view that Israel will eventually destroy herself and pass from the pages of history. Whether this be so or not remains to be seen. In the meantime, we can only hope that Israel will not plunge the world into another major war by taking pre-emptive action against Iran.

the arabs in the city receive huge state payments.the sort of money not available from their brethren. many have said they would simply move west into israel should they become part of the palestinian nation.what then?

BS"D Thank G-D that its not EU that decides the future of Hashem. Who are they (EU) to speak about Israel? Does Israel tell them how to deal with their politics? No, its just when it comes to Israel EVERYBODY has a say! Crazy! We are very soon , G-D Willing, approaching the times of Moshiach! Then ALL Jerusalem will be as the temple, ALL Israel like Jerusalem, and ALL the world like Israel. INCLUDING EU!!

"EU has no jurisdiction over Israel" True! No more than Israel has over Palestine. Of course, the EU is not a belligerent occupier of Israel, either. What EU says will be said without the use of guns or threats of physical abuse, and her comments will be delivered in a civilized manner. Soon.

The muslims have Mecca and Medina, the Christians have the Vatican and the Jews have Jerusalem :) The Palestinians can make Ramallah their capital. I hear it's a beautiful city....

I, a nobody without power over either Israeli or Palestinian Authorities , just like the Swedish temporary EU president, declare Oslo joint capital for the Swedes and the Palestinians living there. This will get nowhere any good. Where on earth is there a nation's capital city shared by two peoples ?

Sounds like a recipe for more bloodshed. Ramallah would be better for the Pals

Not all, but most comments, concerning Jewish rights in Israel, and in particular Jerusalem ,are the product of an inbuilt anti-Semitism. The desire of all the Islamic nations, supported by radicals of other religions, is to see all Jews in Israel removed entirely. Quite often anti-Israel statements by governments are another manifestation of anti-Semitism this time just clothed in diplomatic jargon. If the Jewish people, instead of being some 13 million in the world, were ten or twenty times that number there would be no problem. It's interesting that the Swedish population is about 9.2 million and the Israeli Jewish population is about 5.6 million. Just compare the Swedish contribution to mankind - past and present - with Israel's Jewish population. Add the remaining 7.4 million Jews in the world and I rest my case - just blatant anti-Semitism.

The main problem with the peace process has been that Israel has had all the power in the ngotiations and therefore has had no incentive to make real concessions. The best they've ever offered is a mini Bantustan now, with 92% of the West Bank in 15-20 years time, if Israel didn't change its mind in the meantime. A rubbish offer which nobody would accept. If the EU finally starts reflecting what it's people want, not what AIPAC and its friends want, and makes this annoucment, it could be a game-changer. For all its bluster Israel can't really ignore the EU, its largest trading partner. And if it's stupid enough to do so, things will only get worse for it. So FINALLY the Pals might have some leverage in negotiations.

The Israelis need to realise that the only way to have peace is to stop dreaming of an artificial united city. There are two Jerusalems to start with. They have had more than 40 years to gain the trust of Palestinians in East Jerusalem but they failed. They failed because of a clear discrimination policy. The Municipality of Jerusalem and the Ministry of Interior saved no efforts to always remind the Palestinians who live in East Jerusalem that you will never be treated like others. In fact the only bet they have is the corrupt Palestinian Government as this is the only reason why some Palestinians prefer to hold an Isralei passport rather than being controlled by a corrupt group. Otherwise, the Israelis can never change the blood of Jerusalemites and their love to their city. This is just a dream that will never come true. The EU is late with this resolution and the US must also take the same step.

i wonder how much longer this will be true for the u.s. there are numerous articles on life being impossible at universities which apparently are controlled by the far left and petrodollars.

CJK: "neither the eu, nor any other entity or country, can determine unilaterally the borders of the sovereign state of israel." The Palestinians keep offering Israel borders that correspond to the Green Line. They are OFFERING that, not unilaterally DECLARING that. Now, if Israel wants to refuse that offer then fine, go ahead, but the only alternative is the border that WAS unilaterally determined to be the border of the "Jewish State". And that WAS made by an entity that WAS entitled to decide this i.e. the Mandatory, who decided that the way to end the Mandate was to create one state *over* *here*, and another state *over* *there*. Those are the only two choices left for Israel: 1) The DE JURE border of 1947, or 2) The DE FACTO border of 1967. Go ahead and pick one, but those are the only two choices that Israel can pick from.

What also is inevitable is the EU's persuit to bring about the removal of Israel as a State

Adam are you Jewish?If so I am amazed.I mean in a respectful way.Yes I think it should be done.I mean so many people dies on both side.

Yes i'm living in Israel and even though am totally behind Israel, it was always going to happen. The arabs live in half the city anyway. As long as the pals behave themselves and control their factions, like Israel will have to do with the settlers (who for sure wont like this) then perhaps the great city of jerusalem will find the peace is should always have. My worry is, where there is division, there is usually conflict

Finally a move with real backbone. Let's just hope our collective governments hold their nerve and go through with it. The Israeli - Palestinian dynamic has changed so dramatically since the most recent senseless butchery in Gaza... public opinion definitely supports this move.

Nothing to worry about. Everything is going to be all right.

IF this is true, and not another piece of Israeli propaganda designed to head off any such proposal, it is inconceivable that it is not being coordinated with the US. We have seen many times how closely Obama coordinates US policy change with other and especially European countries. We are presently seeing it again over engagement in Afghanistan, where remarks were already being made some time ago by heads of European government (eg Gordon Brown's Mansion House speech) anticipating Obama's formal statement, expected only today. So no, I very much doubt whether Obama feels stupid. Jonathan

Aside from tourism, which is nice, I wouldn't live in any European country. For Jews there is only Israel, the US and Canada. That's all. This was always like that after the nineteen thirties, but it became unbearably so in the last 25 years.

It will actually move the peace process forward when we unilaterally declare a Palestinian State. Israel needs trade with the EUropean Community to survive. The stick can be used against Israel as well as Palestine. Not just that, our politicians have realised that by blindly supporting Israel they are at risk of losing enough votes to lose elections. The equation at long last has changed, something that the true friends of Israel warned would happen but were ignored by the nuttier sections of Israeli society.

"Jerusalem is Arab/Muslim!" Sorry Pat. The war of 1967 ended with an armistice between Jordan and Israel by which the Green Line was recognized as the boundary of Israel. This includes West Jerusalem. So Israel gets that much legally. Anything more is out of the question unless Israel can talk the Pals into ceding land to them. That would be legal, too. But that is the only way Israel can legally acquire any more than she was granted by the armistice. Even purchase of palestinian land by Israeli citizens does not transfer the land to the State of Israel any more than a foreign company which purchases land in the USA can transfer that land to their home country. Her people can buy Palestinian land; but that does not shift that land West of the Green Line. Nor does it shift the Green Line Eastward.

Over the Jewish natives? Very interesting.

It's no longer relevant since Europe expects Israel to unilaterally make all concessions. Either replace the EU with someone else or withdraw from the Road Map.

The clock of history has ticked for many years and only the deaf or the self delusional could not hear it. At some point in time the US will declare the same. Israel could have pre-empted this embarrasing and uncomfortable situation years ago and the US could have saved all the ill feelings against it by doing the same. UN resolution 242 is chieseled in stone and cannot be erased. Israel would do itself a great favor if it abandoned most of the settlements, comply with the resoultion and move forward with its true mission- to be a democratic, secular state for all its citizens.

Great Time to annex most parts of Judea and Samaria. Pronounce Oslo dead... annex most parts of Judea and Samaria... start build like crazy!! Go ISRAEL, go!! ...you cannot miss this golden opportunity!! Bibi, this is your chance to prove you're the Leader...

Despite the headlines and the rhetoric, the EU knows that the 7% of its population that is Muslim is responsible for less than 1% of the acts of terror (and that number has been holding steady for years). You can check it out for yourself, http://www.europol.europa.eu/publications/EU_Terrorism_Situation_and_Trend_Report_TE-SAT/TESAT2009.pdf I know its a shocking idea to find that the police statistics don't agree with prejudices, but that's life. (Oh, and they include attacks that they stop, attacks that are carried out, and attacks that people talked about, then dropped)

"neither the eu, nor any other entity or country, can determine unilaterally the borders of the sovereign state of israel." Correct. Because they were determined by the Jewish Peoples Council May 14th 1948. Since 1948 Israel has ALWAYS been beyond it's Sovereign boundaries. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/decad169.asp

Israel states there is no such things as "West Jerusalem" or "East Jerusalem". Israel, after it illegally annexed East Jerusalem, recognizes to itself only one "Jerusalem", united and undivided, eternally Israel's, for ever and ever. This "Jerusalem" is the city which Israel claims as its capital. Jerusalem in that condition, in the viewpoint of Israel, of course is not recognized by the EU or any other entity or country as the capital of Israel (except for Israel itself). And no, not even West Jerusalem is recognized as Israel's capital. Why? Because Israel makes it clear that no distinction will be made between West and East Jerusalem. So, in that condition, we cannot recognize West Jerusalem as Israel's capital until Israel recognizes that their "Jerusalem" is confined to West Jerusalem. Then, the world will recognize that Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

in their Sovereign territory? "Europe versus the Jewish people, again!" UH? Asking Israel to abide by the Law? "Jerusalem is the capital of Israel." But it isn't in Israel. " EU has no right to re-divide the city." Israel has no right to have it's capital there. " This would be a great historical tragedy not unlike the loss of the first and second temples" Oh Dear. Then perhaps Israel should abide by the Law....for once.

"The time has come for the international community to meet its obligations and declare a Palestinian state--whether Israel likes it or not." As adam says: "it's about time!

RE: "You stand alone"- Wrong! The Lord of Hosts defends them. Though all nations shall come against Israel, the end is written~ and the nations lose. The wicked main gain through unholy political union, but the LORD will settle the matter in the valley of Har Megiddo! DRS

Jews have controlled Jerusalem for about 1000yrs with Babylonian, Romans and Christians each controlling it for 100yrs or longer but Muslims controlled it for 1300yrs. Jews have lived there over 3000yrs but so have the Canaanite and other groups. The total Muslim control over the Temple Mount is just wrong and should be shared by all 3 religious groups to some degree but will not be easy.

This is probably pure fantasy designed to pressure undecided EU to back track on any notion of independence from following US well known and one sided pro-Israel policies. Justices to Palestininas requires: (1) the right of return, (2)compensation for long suffering, (3)self determination including one state multi-faith democratic Palestine and (4)global cessation of support to Arab despotic regimes, (5)war crimes investigation of Israel past. Clearly, the first step is to follow internationally the path of South Africa, clear out WB, Agwar, Golan, Shabaa and ghajar from Israel' s occupation immediately. UN separation forces should take over released lands. In my judgement, the World is too stupid to realize what is coming due to the global decline of the Western supramacy.

" EU to recognize East Jerusalem as capital of Palestinian state" Just like the UN of 1947 and the resolution of two states. It was the signal of the wars that follows ! The EU must understand those wars are still on & each will have no choice but to fight for his spoils. Jerusalem is built Jewish since Israel take it in a war since 1967. How the EU will impose its recognition ? What the EU expect, Israel will give its full rights of having Jerusalem its Capital ? Will the EU send their own NATO army to Jerusalem to enforce their wish ! This is NOT a sign for Peace. It is a sign of bulling ! Increasing the conflict and making both ready for a blood bath !

"What is Jordan`s role as a 3rd Pal state, and they certainly are a Pal state. " No it isn't. Only the Palestinians in the area that became Jordan had a right to become it's civilians. Jordan is Jordanian. Only what was left of the non-state entity of Palestine was still Palestinian. After Israel Declared it's Sovereign boundaries, only what was left of the none-state entity of Palestine was Palestine.

This is great news and I am happy for the Palestinians. The next move by the EU should be to send military forces to the West Bank in order to protect the Palestinians and to demolish illegal settlements.