Jerusalem Mayor Rejects Clinton’s Criticism

Posted on March 6, 2009 In Blog

The Jerusalem Post reports – Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat on Thursday said that US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was ill-informed when she criticized the demolition of Arab houses in the east of the city, insisting the practice was about law and order, not politics.

In a visit to the West Bank city of Ramallah on Wednesday, Clinton called Israel’s demolition of the illegally built Palestinian homes “unhelpful” and in violation of a US-backed peace plan.

Nir Barkat countered that Jerusalem was a victim of a double standard and a campaign of Palestinian disinformation.

“I totally reject the notion that we are kicking people out of their homes, that is not the case,” he said. “If you build illegal houses you pay the consequence … I expect people to obey the law.”

Barkat said he made his position clear to Clinton personally during her visit.

To read this article in its entirety, please click here.

Please see, as well, the OU’s letter to Secretary of State Clinton expressing our objections to her statements regarding the removal of illegal Arab houses in East Jerusalem.