MIDDLE EAST: Palestinian President Abbas declares Jerusalem as capital of Arab culture

Record ID: 654042

  • Title: MIDDLE EAST: Palestinian President Abbas declares Jerusalem as capital of Arab culture
  • Date: 22nd March 2009
  • Summary: JERUSALEM (MARCH 13, 2009) (REUTERS) MORE OF THE DOME OF THE ROCK IN THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM
  • Embargoed: 6th April 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAB34QRDSQ1CSJQDP2Z6VAGXVCG
  • Story Text: Palestinian President Abbas declares Jerusalem as capital of Arab culture, after Israeli police cancels events celebrating the declaration in the disputed city.
    Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared on Saturday (March 21) that Jerusalem is the Arab cultural capital, amid rising tensions in the disputed city after Israeli police cancelled events celebrating the declaration.

    "We meet today for the true holiday of Arab and humanistic culture. When we celebrate in our capital and our symbol, and the beating of our people's hearts, the Sacred Jerusalem."
    Abbas said, addressing foreign dignitaries in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.
    Israeli police prevented Palestinians on Saturday from holding events in East Jerusalem marking the disputed city's designation as a "capital" of Arab culture.
    The Palestinian president, during his speech addressed the issue of the East Jerusalem neighbourhood in Silwan. Recently, Silwan has been a matter of grave controversy in light of a mass number of eviction and demolition orders on tens of homes in the area.
    Abbas stressed that Palestinian should remain in their homes in East Jerusalem despite the threat of demolition and eviction.

    "We surely must remember today that Silwan, located in Jerusalem, is threatened to be destroyed, threatened to be removed, and threatened to be stormed into. But we will remain on our lands, we will stay on our lands. And we will not at all allow the Israelis to evict us from our homes."
    Abbas also pointed out the situation in the Gaza Strip, which after the Israeli-led 22-day offensive, remains dire for the people there.

    "The thousands of victims in the wounded Gaza Strip, are witnesses to the grave injustice and repression and the taking lightly of the simple lives of the exiled people of Gaza that has happened in the past and continues to happen."
    Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan in a 1967 war and annexed it as the Jewish state's "eternal and indivisible capital", a move not recognised internationally. Palestinians demand East Jerusalem as capital of their own future state.
    The Arab League named Jerusalem, a city that is holy to Muslims and Christians, its "capital of Arab culture" for 2009, following Damascus last year.
    But Israeli authorities intervened to disperse Palestinian celebrations and were seen confiscating flags and banners that the children were holding.
    A police spokesman said some 20 Palestinians were detained at eight events in and around East Jerusalem, but there were no reports of violent confrontations.
    The crackdown was ordered by Israel's Internal Security Ministry because the celebrations violated understandings with the Palestinian Authority over an interim agreement created in the West Bank and Gaza Strip under 1993 Oslo peace talks, Israeli police officials said.
    But Palestinian officials said none of the dignitaries had plans to visit Jerusalem on Saturday.
    The initiative to name a capital of Arab culture was launched in 1995 by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation. A different city is chosen each year.
    Apart from the events planned in Jerusalem, celebrations were set to take place in the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Bethlehem, and in Gaza.
    A planned celebration in support of the events is set to take place in Nazareth, Israel's largest Arab city, was also cancelled by police on Saturday.
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