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Jerusalem Day on Al-Jazeera TV

[ Ynet News] Roee Nahmias - On Jerusalem Day last week, following reports of Israel's intentions to construct housing in areas of Jerusalem located beyond the 1967 borders, Al-Jazeera interviewed Dr. Mordechai Keidar, a lecturer from Bar-Ilan University's Department of Arabic Studies. Al-Jazeera's top journalist Jamal Rayyan opened with the question, "Is this decision meant to constitute another nail in the coffin of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations?" Keidar answered, "To tell you the truth, I don't quite understand this. Must Israel ask permission from some other authority in the world? It has been our capital for 3,000 years. We have been there since the time your forefathers used to drink wine, bury their daughters alive, and pray to multiple gods." (Keidar was referring to a period which prevailed in the Arab world before the time of Islam.) Rayyan continued, "If you would like to speak about history, let's talk about the Koran as well." "Jerusalem is not mentioned in the Koran," Keidar replied. Rayyan stated the verse that, according to Muslim belief, refers to Jerusalem, but Keidar objected. "Jerusalem is not mentioned in the Koran even once." Rayyan then asked: "Doesn't this decision oppose the Roadmap, which determines that Israel will halt construction of the settlements in Jerusalem?" "The Roadmap does not mention Jerusalem," Keidar answered. "Jerusalem is outside of negotiations. Jerusalem belongs to the Jews, Period! We cannot discuss Jerusalem in any way. You return to this issue time and again, but Jerusalem is not referred to in the Roadmap. My brother, go and read the Roadmap."
2008-06-12 01:00:00
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