Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin on Tuesday led his fellow lawmakers on a visit to Ir David, calling the location the “undisputable symbol of the Jewish People’s right to the Eretz Yisrael. We liberated the land in ’67 and we only conquered it once, 3,000 years ago, when Kind David conquered the area”.

He added that the renewed settlement in Jerusalem demands an end to discriminatory policies and permitting all residents to live side-by-side in equality. He rejected calls of a divided Jerusalem which would serve as the capital of Israel and Palestine.

In addition to Arab MKs, other elected officials noticeably absent were Prof. Yuli Tamir (Labor), Majalli Whbee (Kadima), Ruchama Avraham (Kadima) and Uri Maklev (Yahadut HaTorah). Tamir released a statement to the media that previous engagements prevented her attendance. She informed Speaker Rivlin in advance and stressed her absence was not an act of protest.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)