Walles: Sides agree to negotiate J'lem

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Sep 11, 2008

Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to negotiate on the issue of Jerusalem, as well as parts of the Dead Sea, US Consul-General Jacob Walles said in an interview published by the Palestinian daily, Al-Ayyam on Thursday.

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According to the interview, which was cited by Israel Radio, the consul-general said that negotiations would be based on the 1967 borders, with changes to those borders being possible should both sides agree.

Walles told the paper that the other core issues, including that of the refugees, were also expected to be discussed.

Responding to the report, Opposition chairman Biniyamin Netanyahu said Walles' comments proved the ineptitude of the current government.

"The government lost a long time ago all moral validity and legitimacy," he said. "The time has come to have elections."

Netanyahu added that should Kadima win in the next elections, Likud would not join its coalition.
Alternatively, MK Yossi Beilin praised the remarks made by Walles, saying that there would never be a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without a divided Jerusalem. According to Beilin, Israel had already agreed to such a division as far back as 2000.

Last week, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak to discuss the progress of the negotiations with the Palestinian Authority.

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