The Palestinians will never sign any agreement with Israel which does not include Jerusalem, and postponing discussion of the issue only serves Israeli plans to Judaize the city, Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurei was quoted as saying in a report published on Saturday by Palestinian news agency Ma'an.
The Dome of the Rock at the Temple Mount.
Photo: Ariel Jerozolimski
"The Palestinian Authority will not negotiate and will not sign on any agreement with Israel that does not include Jerusalem," Qurei said during a meeting with the fiery leader of the Islamic Movement in Israel, Sheikh Raed Salah.
"The Palestinian leadership is decisive [in its stance] not to negotiate and conclude matters with the Israelis without Jerusalem," he continued. "The postponement of the discussion of this issue is aimed at continuing the Israeli plans to Judaize the holy city, especially the Al-Aksa mosque."
"The Palestinian people reject the harming of their local holy places - both the Muslim and the Christian - in Jerusalem, and see this as a crossing of red lines and creation of a reality on the ground in an attempt to create precedents which would preclude the results of the negotiations on a final status agreement," Queria said.
During the meeting, Salah expressed his support for the activities of the Palestinian leadership with regards to safe-guarding the Al-Aksa mosque, and urged reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas in order to face "the challenges and dangers which threaten" the mosque.
"The continuation of this rift gives Israel a green light to continue its policies to Judaize Jerusalem," Salah said.
