Palestinian Presidency Rejects any Change to East Jerusalem’s Borders

A general view of Jerusalem. (Reuters)
A general view of Jerusalem. (Reuters)
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Palestinian Presidency Rejects any Change to East Jerusalem’s Borders

A general view of Jerusalem. (Reuters)
A general view of Jerusalem. (Reuters)

The Palestinian presidency rejected on Saturday any attempt to alter the borders of East Jerusalem, which is occupied by Israel.

Israel annexed the eastern section of the city in 1967 in a move that is not internationally recognized.

Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abou Rudeinah said: “We will not accept any change to the East Jerusalem borders.”

His statement came in response to a US official’s declaration that Washington believes that the Wailing Wall, as it is known to Jews, or the Burak wall, as it is known to Palestinians, should be part of Israel.

He predicted that the Burak wall, also known as the western wall of the Aqsa Mosque, would be part of the United States’ recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The western wall will in the end become an integral part of Israel, said the US official.

Abou Rudeinah remarked that such statements only confirm that the current American administration was no longer part of the peace process.

On December 6, US President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in a move that was condemned by the Arab and Muslim world and the international community.

Abou Rudeinah said that all of Washington’s decisions on Jerusalem related to its recognition of it as the capital of Israel are a violation of international law.



France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
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France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)

Paris declined to comment on Algeria’s “strong condemnation” of the French government’s decision to recognize Morocco’s claim over the Sahara.

The office of the French Foreign Ministry refused to respond to an AFP request for a comment on the Algeria’s stance.

It did say that further comments could impact the trip Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is set to make to France in late September or early October.

The visit has been postponed on numerous occasions over disagreements between the two countries.

France had explicitly expressed its constant and clear support for the autonomy rule proposal over the Sahara during Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne’s visit to Morocco in February, reported AFP.

The position has helped improve ties between Rabat and Paris.

On Thursday, the Algerian Foreign Ministry expressed “great regret and strong denunciation" about the French government's decision to recognize an autonomy plan for the Western Sahara region "within Moroccan sovereignty”.

Algeria was informed of the decision by France in recent days, an Algerian foreign ministry statement added.

The ministry also said Algeria would draw all the consequences from the decision and hold the French government alone completely responsible.