UOJCA APPRECIATES PRIME MINISTER OLMERT’S PROMPT CLARIFICATION ON JERUSALEM NEGOTIATIONS
Reiterates call that Jerusalem remains the united, eternal capital of Israel and the Jewish people

Today, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, issued a statement in response to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s comments to reporters that Jerusalem would remain the last issue to be resolved with the Palestinians and to reports that construction will continue on Jewish projects in East Jerusalem.

UOJCA President Stephen J. Savitsky, Executive Vice President Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb and Director of Public Policy Nathan J. Diament stated:

We are appreciative of Prime Minister Olmert’s swift response to our call for clarification to media reports regarding the status of Jerusalem. We are equally appreciative of his government’s decision to continue approval and construction of Jewish projects in “East Jerusalem”.

The Orthodox Union continues to believe that Jerusalem must remain the united and eternal capital of the State of Israel and the Jewish People, a position held both by a majority of Israeli Jews and American Jews, across political affiliation and religious denomination. We also hope that Prime Minister Olmert will further clarify that there are no secret talks concurrently occurring on Jerusalem.

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