a pledge to set the final frontiers of the Jewish state by 2010.
Olmert, who previously described Jerusalem as the “undivided and eternal capital” of the Jewish people, is now willing to compromise, an official said Thursday, May 4.
Otniel Schneller an architect of the plan told The Associated Press (AP) news agency that his blueprint would give most of Jerusalem’s Arab neighborhoods to the Palestinians while keeping the predominantly Jewish areas for Israel.
"Those same neighborhoods will, in my assessment, be central to the makeup of the Palestinian capital … al-Quds," Schneller was quoted as saying, calling Jerusalem by its Arabic name. "We will not divide Jerusalem, we will share it."
Israel would keep Jerusalem’s Old City with its shrines sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians, although that was likely an unacceptable plan to Palestinians. Yet analysts suggested that with Olmert determined to draw Israel’s final borders within the next four years, a division of Jerusalem looks realistic for the first time.
FAR CRY
That prospect seemed a far cry from comments Olmert made when he was still mayor of Jerusalem. “I feel that I have to help realize the original vision of God, that Jerusalem will remain forever the undivided capital of the Jewish people and the city of all believers, and of all religions,” he told US-based Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) in 2000, according to a transcript monitored by BosNewsLife.
“I believe that Jerusalem is indeed such a city and will remain such a city beyond all the political controversies,” he added. In his policy speech Thursday, May 4, he still spoke of “our united capital Jerusalem,” but left open the possibility that Palestinians would have a say over certain parts of the city in the near future.
Under the government plan, which would be executed unilaterally if efforts to resume peace talks fail, Jerusalem’s Old City, its shrines and the adjacent neighborhoods, would become a "special region with special understandings," but remain under Israeli sovereignty, Schneller told AP
OLD CITY
Speaking on condition of anonymity because details have not yet been finalized, at least one Israeli official reportedly said that the Old City and the adjacent "holy basin," which includes the predominantly Arab neighborhoods of Silwan and Sheik Jarrah, would fall on the Israeli side of the separation barrier Israel is building in the West Bank.
Much of East Jerusalem, which Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 Mideast War, would no longer be cut off from the West Bank and most Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem could become part of a future Palestinian state on the eastern side of the barrier, the official told AP.
News of a possible division of Jerusalem was expected to raise eyebrows among several Jewish and Christians groups, including the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) which opened after the international community condemned Israel for declaring united Jerusalem the "eternal and indivisible capital" of the reborn Jewish state.
OIL EMBARGO
"As 13 nations moved their embassies from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv due to a threatened Arab oil embargo, 1400 Christians from 40 countries decided to open their own Embassy in Jerusalem. It was an act of solidarity with the Jewish people’s 3000-year-old connection to their holy city," the ICEJ said.
Olmert also told parliament Thursday, May 4, that the existence of "scattered settlements" in the West Bank as contrary to Israel’s national interests and that their removal under his "convergence plan" was necessary.
It involves dismantling dozens of Jewish settlements in the West Bank with tens of thousands of people and moving them to larger settlement blocs in the territory that Israel hopes to hold onto under a final peace deal.
HAMAS GOVERNMENT
Israel has said it will give the new Hamas-led Palestinian government time to agree to international demands to recognize Israel, accept past peace deals and renounce violence.
But more than a month into its reign, Hamas has rejected the demands, Israel has cut off all ties with what it has labeled an enemy entity and it appears increasingly likely the Jewish state will draw its borders on its own, analysts say.
Moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas appealed to Olmert to resume peace talks ith him immediately. "You have a serious partner. We are a partner for negotiations," Abbas told in published remarks.
PARTNERSHIP URGED
Palestinian legislator Saeb Erekat said Olmert should take up Abbas’ offer. "We urge Mr. Olmert to abandon the ways of unilateralism and opt for a partnership in order to bring about a new reality for Palestinians and Israelis," he added.
A fluent English speaker, Olmert gained experience dealing with top level diplomats during his term as mayor of Jerusalem. However critics say he lacks Sharon’s charisma as a war hero and loyal following.
Olmert’s Kadima party won only 29 seats in the 120-seat parliament, so to gain a majority, political observers suggest he will need to use his diplomatic experience as mayor of Jerusalem to cooperate with several parties, including the ultra-Orthodox Jewish Shas faction, the moderate Labor and upstart Pensioners. (With BosNewsLife Research and reports from Israel).
