[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: Proposals for a patchwork of sovereignties in the
heart of Jerusalem may sound reasonable when discussed in the quiet ambience
of 5 star hotels during confabs financed by various foreigners. But then
again that's been the story with whole Oslo fantasy. But try test the
robustness of these so-called solutions by considering how they would play
out in realistic not-best-case situations and these house of cards proposals
collapse.]

Ramon: Give parts of Jerusalem to Palestinians
Vice premier authors position paper proposing transfer of Jerusalem's Arab
neighborhoods to Palestinian Authority
Ronny Sofer YNET Published: 09.18.07, 20:18 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3450925,00.html

Vice Premier Haim Ramon outlined his official political agenda on Tuesday,
acknowledging that he believes Israel should cede control of the Arab
neighborhoods in Jerusalem to the Palestinians and establish joint
sovereignty over the city's holy sites.

Ramon went on record with his personal viewpoint in a letter to Nir Barkat,
a member of Jerusalem's municipal council on behalf of Kadima.

"The Jewish neighborhoods will be recognized as Israeli and under Israeli
sovereignty. Accordingly, the Arab neighborhoods (like Shoafat) will be
recognized as Palestinian. Passages between the Israeli neighborhoods will
be open and secure - accordingly the same will be true for the Palestinian
neighborhoods," writes Ramon.

"There will be special sovereignty over the holy sites, taking into account
Israel's unique interests in overseeing them. Within this framework the
Western Wall, the Jewish Quarter and other holy sites in the Jerusalem
vicinity will remain under Israeli rule forever."

Knesset members and cabinet ministers from Kadima recently voiced their
objections to the divisive concessions proposed by Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert in his talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Those opposing
Olmert say they are concerned that he would propose withdrawing from the
West Bank and handing over part of Jerusalem to the PA ahead of the upcoming
peace summit in Washington.

'A danger to Jerusalem's future'

A fierce opponent of dividing Jerusalem, Barkat demanded that Ramon - as
Olmert's designated man for negotiations with the PA - clarify his position.

"Recent reports have said that in your talks with the Palestinian prime
minister you are working to divide Jerusalem between Israel and a future
Palestinian state. Such a move would compromise Israel's sovereignty over
the holy sites and the Old City as well as end in the transfer of Jerusalem
neighborhoods to the Palestinians," wrote Barkat in his demand to Ramon.

"I remind you that these positions go against Kadima's guiding principles,
that stress the inclusion of the sites holy to the Jewish faith and which
are important national symbols - first and foremost of these is a unified
Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel. It is because of these
principles that Kadima was given a mandate by the people of Israel.

"It is inconceivable that we would go along with actions that would endanger
Jerusalem's security and Judaism's Holy of Holies."

In his response to Barkat Ramon wrote: "Kadima has raised the banner of a
democratic and Jewish Israel with a solid Jewish majority. It is based on
this belief that the prime minister is negotiating with President Abbas."

Ramon said he agreed with Barkat's sentiment of preserving Jerusalem's
strength and added that expressing Israel's willingness to cede the Arab
neighborhoods as part of an agreement with the Palestinian Authority would
only contribute to that strength.