Arafat Vows to Hold Firm to Jerusalem as Palestinian Capital

Palestinian National Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat reiterated Thursday his vow to hold firm to making Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestinian state.

After attending a prayer on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice, Arafat sent a message to Arab nations, stressing that he did not forget that Jerusalem is the capital of

the independent Palestinian state.

"My message is strong and clear-cut," Arafat told reporters.

Israel occupied the whole of Jerusalem in wars with its Arab neighbors in 1948 and 1976, and annexed it in its political map in the 1980s as its "indivisible and eternal" capital, a move rejected by the international community in general and the Arab and Islamic states in particular.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the toughest issues to be discussed in the final-status talks between the Palestinians and Israel, which also deal with border demarcation, the future of

Jewish settlements, the return of Palestinian refugees and the distribution of water resources.

After being suspended for more than one month due to difference between the two sides over some interim and final-status issues, Palestinian-Israeli negotiations are scheduled to resume in

Washington on March 20.

The Palestinian side has insisted on regaining Jerusalem, or at least its Arab eastern part, while Israeli has claimed that the holy city will not be divided.

According to high-level Israeli sources, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak does not intend to hold negotiations with the Palestinians over the Jerusalem issue within the framework of

final-status talks.

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