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Israel agrees to share parts of Jerusalem

Albright steers ME peace talks
JERUSALEM July 21 : Israel has agreed to a US proposal to share sovereignty over certain parts of occupied East Jerusalem with the Palestinians. a Cabinet minister said to-clay, for the first time breaking the taboo of the 'indivisibility7 of the Holy City, reports AFP
An impasse over the future of the city almost led to the collapse ot the marathon peace negotiations at the Camp David US presidential retreat in Maryland, with both Israel and (he Palestinians coveting it as their capital.
Minister without portfolio Michael Melchior said Prime Minister Ehud Barak has agreed to a US proposal that Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority could have joint sovereignty over certain areas in the eastern sector which is home to about 200.000 Arabs.
"We are speaking of administrative powers phis' with signs of sovereignty, a type of joint sovereignty over these districts but ex< hiding the Old City." he told public radio
The ancient walled Old City, a labyrinth of cobbled streets covering about one square
kilometre (less than hall a square mile) Is home to sites holy to Christians. Jews and Muslims.
Melchior said Israel could annex to Jerusalem several Jewish settlements In the occupied West Bank on the outskirts of the city. Including Maale Ad-umim. the largest settlement.
"There Is no question of Palestinian sovereignty over east Jerusalem so this proposal does not put at risk Barak's red lines,'" he said.
But plans for a divided east Jerusalem have already been rejected by the Palestinians and are also likely to face stiff opposition from the Israeli public.
Israel captured and annexed east Jerusalem in the Middle East war 33 years ago and claims it as part of its eternal undivided capital, a position not recognised by the international community.
"The Palestinians are united in their position on Jerusalem, the capital, that must be returned to its Palestinian owners." Palestinian minister of parliamentary affairs Nabil Ami told olllcial television
The Palestinians want the
sector as the capital of an Independent state they have vowed lo declare by September, the deadline for a final peace deal
On Thursday. Palestinian sources said Israel had proposed dividing east Jerusalem Into three sectors -• one under full Israeli control, .mother under Palestinian control but without sovereignty and a third where the Palestinians had civilian authorltv hut Israel retained security control.
Israel also proposed that the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, be put under the custody of the United Nations and certain Arab and Islamic nations, while the Palestinians would have the right to raise their flag there.
“Arafat rejected all these proposals and insisted on the return of all of east Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state." a source close to the talks said.
An opinion poll published in Yediot found that 70 per cent oi Israelis opposed any peace deal with the Palestinians that in volved giving up land In East Jerusalem.
And 61 percent said they did
not think that a true peace" could be achieved with the Palestinians.
Meanwhile. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright steered the Middle East peace talks here Into their eleventh day. as President Bill Clinton hinted he might be back from Japan earlier than expected
The US president arrived Friday In Okinawa to attend the Group of Eight summit He was a day late, after a bit ol brinkmanship to keep Israeli and Palestinian negotiators at the table In an effort to reach an accord
Shortly after his arrival, however White House spokesman Joe Lockhart loki reporters that Clinton might cut short his attendance at the summit.
"We might go back a little early,” he told reporters, without saying when the president might depart. He was scheduled to return on Sunday.
Albright, meanwhile, prepared for the eleventh day of Intensive Middle East peace talks, resurrected after their overnight death.