JERUSALEM — A majority of Israeli lawmakers have signed a petition against any attempt by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to transfer parts of Jerusalem to the Palestinians, a parliamentarian said yesterday.
Mr. Olmert said last week for the first time that some Arab neighborhoods of the city might not remain under Israeli control in the future. He has not said if Israel has offered any concessions on the disputed holy city in talks with the Palestinians.
Yisrael Katz of the opposition Likud Party distributed a petition calling on the prime minister not to give up any part of the city. A total of 61 lawmakers in the 120-seat Knesset signed the petition, Mr. Katz said.
“The message is clear: Olmert has no mandate to compromise on Jerusalem,” Mr. Katz said.
The Knesset legislator said his petition was signed not only by opposition lawmakers but also by members of Mr. Olmert’s coalition government — including two Cabinet ministers and 13 members of Mr. Olmert’s own centrist Kadima Party.
Israeli governments in past peace talks have proposed giving up some parts of the city that Israel considers its capital but the sides never agreed on how to divide the city, and its fate is one of the main obstacles that has blocked a final peace arrangement.
The Palestinians demand the return of all of East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in 1967, including control over a disputed holy site in the walled Old City.
The new petition indicated that Mr. Olmert will find it difficult, if not impossible, to get an agreement that includes a division of Jerusalem ratified by parliament.
Also yesterday, a top Israeli-Palestinian team met as part of efforts to negotiate a joint statement to be revealed at a U.S.-sponsored regional conference next month.
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the meeting was “in-depth” but he would not say if any progress was made. Israeli officials would not comment on the meeting that was the third between the negotiators.
The U.S. hopes the gathering will jump-start a full renewal of talks between the sides on a final peace agreement.
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