In violation of the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority is planning official events in Jerusalem to mark it as “Capital of Arab Culture 2009.”
This follows a PA attempt about a month ago to hold an official event including flying PA-flag colored kites over Jerusalem skies at Damascus Gate. Official Palestinian Authority events in Jerusalem are banned under the Oslo Accords, and the police stepped in to stop it – though they were unable to prevent the balloons from being released into the air.
Since 1996, the Arab League has named a city each year as its “cultural capital.” Planning has been underway for two years to give Jerusalem the title – largely in order to promote the PA’s political claims.
Choosing Jerusalem Will Aid PA Claims on City
“The choice for Jerusalem,” says the Palestinian Forum site, “provides an important incentive for initiating collective action to preserve and promote the Palestinian Arab character of Jerusalem, and to attract people’s attention to the injustice Israel inflicts on the Holy City.”
PA leaders have repeatedly declared that their objective is to establish a Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital. The Cultural Capital Program “gives an important opportunity to renew the international solidarity with the Palestinian cause and more specifically, the status of Jerusalem,” states the above forumpalestina.org site, which leads a “Boycott Israel” campaign as well.
The site also claims in this connection that Israel has made “threats to abolish Arab and Islamic landmarks,” endangering “not only the rich Palestinian heritage of Jerusalem [sic], but also its’ [sic] unique universal character.”
Fatah, Hamas, UN
The designation has caused tension not only with Israel, but also between the Fatah and Hamas arms of the Palestinian Authority. Both terrorist organizations have formed committees to organize festivities, and the two are not working in tandem with each other. Some Arab countries are sending money to Gaza, others are funding the Ramallah-based group, and some refuse to help at all because of the division.
Arab and Palestinian Authority declarations claim that Jerusalem has received the cultural designation “based upon the UNESCO Cultural Capital Program.” No such term exists, however, and the decision to choose Jerusalem was made by Arab cultural ministers, not a U.N. body.
Workshops, Music and More
All the above does not obscure the attempts to erode Israel’s sovereignty over the Holy City. The PA is planning to hold art workshops, exhibits, plays, sports competitions and an Arab music festival – all in eastern Jerusalem and elsewhere in Judea and Samaria.
Police: We'll Stop It
Jerusalem Police spokesman Shmulik Ben-Ruby told Israel National News, "The police will thwart any PA attempt to gain a foothold here in any subject. Any official participation of the PA in any activity is forbidden, and the decision has been made to stop any attempt to violate this."
Just last month, the PA-controlled city of Bethlehem, just south of Jerusalem, hosted officials from various countries for the formal launching of the year-long cultural festival. Fatah chairman Mahmoud Abbas hosted the visitors, and the main ceremony was held at an auditorium made to look like the Old City.
In Jerusalem, Israel Police intervened to prevent public commemorations of the event. Three employees of the Arab Al-Quds University in Jerusalem were reportedly detained for distributing T-shirts advertising the event.
Hamas Incitement Kicks In, Too
Hamas is using the occasion to incite against Israel by claiming that the municipal decision to destroy illegal construction in the Silwan neighborhood is a “plot to Judaize Jerusalem.” Hamas further claims that Israel’s archaeological digs are a “plot to destroy the Al-Aqsa mosque.”
One Hamas announcement regarding the Jerusalem Culture Capital events even expresses support and encouragement for the tractor-terrorist attacks in Jerusalem over the past year.
For years, the PA continually refused – in violation of the Oslo Accords - to shut down its diplomatic operations in the Orient House, a building in eastern Jerusalem. In August 2001, the Israeli government finally ordered the building closed, and seized box-loads of documents relating to PA activities.