Obama stands by controversial remarks backing "Israeli" claim to all of occupied al-Quds

Source: AFP, 07-06-2008

WASHINGTON: Democratic White House candidate Barack Obama on Thursday defended his remarks that Occupied Jerusalem should not be divided under any 'Israeli'-Palestinian peace pact, saying a divided city would be "very difficult to execute. "A day after sparking outrage when he told a Jewish group that Jerusalem must be the "undivided" capital of 'Israel', Obama told CNN that the issue is still up to the two sides.

"Obviously it's going to be up to the parties to negotiate a range of these issues," he said, "and 'Jerusalem' will be part of those negotiations."

However, he added: "My belief is that as a practical matter it would be very difficult to execute. And I think that it is smart for us to work through a system in which everybody has access to the extraordinary religious sites in old Jerusalem."

But, he claimed, "'Israel' has a legitimate claim on that city."
On Wednesday Obama pledged to a meeting of one of Washington's most powerful lobby groups, the American 'Israel' Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), his "unshakeable commitment to 'Israel's' security" if he is elected president in November, while making the statement that occupied 'Jerusalem' (al-Quds) should not be undivided.

Leading Palestinians, including US-backed President Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the remarks. "Jerusalem is one of the files under negotiation. The entire world knows perfectly well that we will never accept a state without [East] occupied 'Jerusalem' [as its capital]. That should be clear," Abbas said.