Jordan Times
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
West Bank, East Jerusalem ‘occupied land’ - Sharif
AMMAN (JT) - Minister of State for Media Affairs
and Communications Nabil Sharif on Monday stressed that the West Bank, including
East Jerusalem, is occupied land, citing hundreds of resolutions by
international bodies and organisations, especially the United Nations.
All these resolutions refer to East Jerusalem and the West Bank as occupied land
under Israeli occupation, he reiterated.
The minister made the remarks on the heels of the latest Israeli measures in the
Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in East Jerusalem and recent statements issued by
the Israeli government concerning the Holy City.
In a statement to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, the government spokesperson
emphasised UN Security Council Resolution 242 of 1967 and resolutions 476 and
478 of 1980, which reject Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem in 1967 and all
related measures.
Sharif also highlighted the paragraph in UN Security Council Resolution 476 of
1980 which reasserts the need to end Israel’s occupation of the Arab territories
occupied in 1967, including the Holy City of Jerusalem.
The statements issued by the Israeli government on Sunday regarding Jerusalem
came in contrary to “solid and well-known legal and political facts”, Sharif
said.
Regarding Israel’s unilateral measures in East Jerusalem, including its
demolition of Palestinians’ houses, and excavations and digging works there,
Sharif said these measures are an obstacle to the intensive international
efforts towards peace which are currently under way, foremost of which is the US
push to achieve the two-state solution.