JARED KUSHNER, AS YOU VISIT ISRAEL AND THE WEST BANK, DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT MESSING WITH JERUSALEM!

Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett: 'Under no circumstance will Jerusalem be divided'

By Shlomo Cesana

Israel Hayom
June 19, 2017

Now, more than ever, Israel must act to protect the unity of Jerusalem, Habayit Hayehudi party head and Education Minister Naftali Bennett said Sunday.

Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting, Bennett emphasized that keeping Jerusalem united was of particular importance given attempts to renew peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, which might call for the division of the capital.

Under a proposed bill introduced by Habayit Hayehudi on Thursday, a special majority of 80 Knesset members would be required to pass any law changing the status of Jerusalem in general or enact any potential future division of the capital as part of a peace deal with the Palestinians in particular.

The initiative is being proposed as an amendment to the Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel. The special majority stipulation is also aimed at protecting the city in the event of any future referendum on its status.

Bennett described the bill as a strategic move to protect Jerusalem in the event of any future diplomatic agreements asking Israel to relinquish control of parts of the city to a foreign entity.

"It is important to clarify that under any circumstance -- in any situation -- Jerusalem will not be divided. I am convinced the entire coalition and the sane opposition will support this important law," he said.

Bennett said, "The ideas of [former Prime Minister] Ehud Barak in 2000 and [former Prime Minister] Ehud Olmert in 2007 to transfer the Old City, the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives to the Palestinians have expired," he said. "I am therefore very optimistic that the law will pass easily."

Habayit Hayehudi MK Shuli Mualem-Rafaeli, who presented the bill to the Knesset, called on all coalition and opposition MKs to support the legislation.

"In the past, there have been prime ministers in Israel who, through underhanded opportunism, implemented dangerous diplomatic initiatives," she said. "Jerusalem must be protected from similar situations."