Israel rules out Jerusalem (al-Quds) division

Press TV- The mayor of al-Quds (Jerusalem) has ruled out the possibility of the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East al-Quds as its capital.

Nir Barkat said on Tuesday that he would never allow the eastern side of al-Quds to become the capital of a future Palestinian state, AFP reported.

The city is the most disruptive issue between Israelis and the Palestinians.

Israel seized East al-Quds along with the West Bank from Jordan in the Six-Day War of 1967, and later annexed it in defiance of calls from the international community.

Israel has, so far, ignored calls by the Palestinians and the United States for a halt to settlement activities in the West Bank and, in particular, al-Quds, which it claims as its "eternal, indivisible" capital.

Palestinians, however, have repeatedly called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East al-Quds as its capital.

This is while the demolition of Palestinian homes and other structures by the Israeli forces in East al-Quds and the occupied West Bank happens on a regular basis.

According to a statement released by the Israeli civil rights group, Ir Amim, Israel has increased the demolition of Palestinian homes in East al-Quds as part of a "political policy" to drive Palestinians out of the city.

Earlier on Sunday, Israeli forces demolished the Shepherd Hotel in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East al-Quds to build 20 new settler units.

The demolition was denounced by the international community.
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