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The issue of the
position of the Jerusalemite Christian Community becomes known at
the
negotiations between
Israel and the PLO in the Camp David 2 negotiations.
Here are some points
that were touched in a letter from the Jerusalem Patriarchs to
President Clinton, Barak
and Arafat on July 17, 2000 concerning the position of Christians
on sovereignty issue.
The Christians of
Jerusalem follow with great concern and interest the report of the
Camp
David negotiations and
especially the issue of Jerusalem and its final status.
The Christians of
Jerusalem are Palestinians too. Christians of the Holy Land come
from
various origins having
gone through many historical changes and peoples movements- they
form an integral part
of the Palestinian people.
Christians were born to
Palestine nationals on Palestinian soil, thus we are Palestinian
nationals regardless of
Israel occupation and, on the other hand, no one is trying to
exclude
us or revoke our
Palestinian nationality.
This is why we reiterate
that it is an obligation / right to be under one’s own people’s
sovereignty and this is
what any Palestinian- again regardless of religious affiliation-
would
opt for.
Their concern about
Jerusalem goes beyond the city as the Christian Holy City, it is a
tie
that is deep and strong.
Jerusalem is the heart
of their nationalistic interest and concern. Christians are
concerned
about the territorial
sovereignty. They consider the East Jerusalem as an Arab Palestinian
City and they hope it
will be the capital of the Palestinian State. On the other hand,
concerning the religious
dimension of Jerusalem, they believe that Jerusalem is holy for
Christians, Jews and
Muslims.
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