THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 13, 1995 TAG: 9511100030
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 42 lines
On Sept. 11, the opening date of the Jerusalem 3000 celebration, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin stated that ``undivided Jerusalem is the heart of the Jewish people and the capitol of the State of Israel. Undivided Jerusalem is ours.''
Israeli leaders publicly and actively endorse this concept. By contrast, the Palestinian leader and his people pursue the Plan of Phases. This calls for the acquisition of however much territory can be gained through negotiations as the first stage before the conquest of all the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean.
Arafat states, ``Bless your struggles and your Jihad on the land. . . . We will press on to Jerusalem, capitol of the State of Palestine.''
To this end, since the Oslo agreement some 800 Israeli casualties with more than 150 fatalities have been inflicted.
On June 14, 1992, candidate Bill Clinton stated, ``I recognize Jerusalem as an undivided city and the eternal capitol of Israel.'' For 47 years the Democratic and Republican parties and their leaders have urged our government to recognize Jerusalem as the capitol of the State of Israel and locate the American Embassy there.
Senators Dole (Republican) and Inouye (Democrat) currently are sponsoring a bill to begin construction of a U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. Sixty senators have signed on as co-sponsors.
Voices are heard: ``This is not the time.'' The American State Department's long-standing policy is not to upset the sensitivities of the Palestinians.
And to this end on the opening day of dedication and recognition of 3,000 years of Jewish existence in the City of David, U.S. Ambassador Martin Indyk was absent.
ED BANYAI
Norfolk, Oct. 17, 1995 by CNB