Jerusalem Day 2016

Monday, 6 June 2016

Jerusalem Day 2016

Anwar Eshki Eshki with Director-General of Israeli Foreign Ministry Dore Gold

Saudi Official Convinces Israelis with Peace: We Have Common Interests, Enemies

Jerusalem Day 2016

On June 5, Israelis celebrate what Palestinians mourn – the conquest and occupation of East Jerusalem, following Israel’s June 1967 preemptive Six Day War of choice, naked aggression by any standard.

Palestinians were and remain deprived of their historic capital.Israel transformed Jerusalem from a multi-cultural, multi-religious metropolis into a predominantly Jewish one. On July 30, 1980, the Knesset introduced the Jerusalem Law. It annexed the city as Israel’s unified capital.

On March 1, 1980, Security Council Resolution 465 declared “all measures taken by Israel to change the physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure or status of the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, or any part thereof, have no legal validity and that Israel’s policy and practices of settling parts of its population and new immigrants in those territories constitute a flagrant (Fourth Geneva) violation…and also constitute a serious obstruction to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”

On July 9, 2004, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled “Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territory, including East Jerusalem, are illegal and an obstacle to peace and to economic and social development (and) have been established in breach of international law.”

Israel systematically breaches international law and UN resolutions unfavorable to its interests. It lawlessly claims Jerusalem as its exclusive capital, wanting the entire city Judaized.

Palestinians are being forced out, their fundamental rights denied. Jerusalem Day is a national holiday, ignored by most Israelis, celebrated by “religious chauvinists…a bullying, screeching minority,” Gideon Levy explained.

They infest the city, terrorizing Palestinian neighborhoods, dispossessing longstanding residents – with full regime support, including from its racist courts.

“Today we are supposed to celebrate this day by law,” said Levy. “No person of conscience can do this.” One day the occasion will be “mourn(ed).” Occupation is no cause for joy.

Palestinian rights are mocked. Israel’s High Court rejected a petition submitted by human rights attorney Itay Mack to bar the annual march from passing provocatively through the Old City’s Muslim quarter.

Participating Zionist zealots notoriously insult Palestinian residents. Unaccountable vandalism occurs. Justices ordering police to assure “minimal friction with the Muslim residents (and show) zero tolerance to verbal and physical violence” was meaningless.

Palestinian rights are systematically denied – on Jerusalem Day and all others. Ramadan begins Monday, June 6.

Joint (Arab) List MK Yousef Jabareen called the High Court’s ruling, permitting Zionist zealots free access to the Old City’s Muslim quarter on Ramadan’s eve “provocative (and) racist” – its “sole purpose…to terrorize” Palestinian merchants and other residents.

“On the evening in which Palestinians celebrate Ramadan, a month of tolerance and brotherhood, the police chose, and the High Court approved, to (let) marchers provoke Palestinians, hurt them and sow hatred and fear,” he explained.

“Can anyone imagine” Israeli authorities letting Palestinians march through Jewish neighborhoods “on the eve of Passover” or any other Jewish holiday?

“East Jerusalem is part of” illegally Occupied Palestine. No High Court or political authority can change reality on the ground.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.