Ramallah/Gaza, May 18 (IANS) The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and the Islamic Hamas movement on Monday slammed remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Jerusalem will remain under Israel’s jurisdiction.
Nabil Abu Rdineh, spokesman of the PNA presidency, said in a press statement that Netanyahu’s remarks contradict UN resolutions and violate international conventions, Xinhua news agency reported.
“There will be no peace or settlement in the Middle East without having east Jerusalem as the capital of Palestinian state,” said Abu Rdineh.
He also slammed earlier remarks of an Israeli minister in Netanyahu’s cabinet who stated that the Jews would soon pray at the Muslims’ al-Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem.
“Such remarks will lead to a big fire that will be very hard to control either by the Arabs or the Muslims allover the world.”
Meanwhile, the Hamas movement’s spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in an emailed press statement that Netanyahu’s remarks that Jerusalem would not be divided “shows the failure of the so-called peace process”.
“Talking about the resumption of the so-called peace talks with the Israeli occupation while these remarks are mad is like thirsty people looking for water in the desert,” Abu Zuhri said.