Likud MKs call for PM to commit to protect Jerusalem at UN

"There is no reason to give parts of our homeland to the Palestinian Authority," Knesset Land of Israel Caucus tells the PM.

By LAHAV HARKOV
Netanyahu at Jerusalem Day ceremony 370 (photo credit: Avi Ohayon/GPO)
Netanyahu at Jerusalem Day ceremony 370
(photo credit: Avi Ohayon/GPO)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu must reaffirm that Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel in his speech to the UN at the end of the month, the Knesset Land of Israel Caucus and six deputy ministers wrote in an open letter published in advertising space in several newspapers this weekend.
“You will soon represent Israel in a meeting with US President Barack Obama and a speech at the UN General Assembly,” the letter reads. “We call on you to clarify the official stance of the State of Israel, as expressed a year ago in government decision 5251 – that the Jewish people have a natural, historic and legal right to its entire homeland and its eternal capital, Jerusalem.”
In addition, the letter says, “20 years after the terrible Oslo Accords, there is no reason to return to its outline or give parts of our homeland to the Palestinian Authority.”
Among those who signed the letter are Deputy Foreign Minister Ze’ev Elkin, Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Ophir Akunis, Deputy Transportation Minister Tzipi Hotovely and coalition chairman Yariv Levin, all from Netanyahu’s Likud party.
Deputy Religious Services Minister Eliahu Ben-Dahan and Deputy Education Minister Avraham Wortzman, of Bayit Yehudi, also signed the letter, as well as several other MKs from the two parties and Yisrael Beytenu.
Meretz leader Zehava Gal-On criticized the letter Saturday night, writing on Facebook that “it’s unclear what’s more ridiculous, the fact that coalition members send letters to the prime minister as if they’re the fighting opposition, or that the letter clearly reminds us what Netanyahu’s government is really about.”
“This government sends [Justice Minister] Tzipi Livni to shake hands abroad and at the same time has members who declare that we cannot ‘give parts of our homeland to the Palestinian Authority,’” Gal- On wrote. “It’s not surprising since Netanyahu and his government’s ultimate dream is to sit on their seats forever, talk forever and do nothing.”