Obama ‘softens’ Jerusalem stance
Anger after presidential hopeful speaks of “undivided Jerusalem” as Israeli capital.
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Israel has occupied Palestinian East Jerusalem since the 1967 war, a move considered illegal under international law.
“And I think that it is smart for us to – to work through a system in which everybody has access to the extraordinary religious sites in Old Jerusalem, but that Israel has a legitimate claim on that city.”
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Successive US presidents have maintained the US embassy in Tel Aviv and have publicly backed negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
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| Obama said an “undivided Jerusalem should remain the capital of Israel” [AFP] |
“What really disappoints me is that someone like Barack Obama, who runs a campaign on the theme of change – when it comes to Aipac and what’s needed to be said differently about the Palestinian state, he fails.”
“I say to Obama … please stop being more Israeli than the Israelis themselves, leave the Israelis and Palestinians alone to make decisions required for peace.”
Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, also condemned the speech, saying on Thursday: “These statements slash any hope of any change in the American foreign policy.