U.S., EU ambassadors said set to skip Jerusalem Day ceremonies

(Ben Heine Cartoons)

May 13, 2007

By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service

The ambassadors from the United States and the European Union countries will not attend the celebrations Wednesday to mark the 40th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, the Israeli media reported Sunday.

According to Army Radio, the envoy from Germany declined the invitation in the name of all EU states due to a dispute over the status of East Jerusalem as part of the Israeli capital.

A short time later, Israel Radio reported that American Ambassador Richard Jones will also not attend.

The Foreign Ministery explained it had invited diplomats to attend a ceremoney commemorating 40 years since the unification of East and West Jerusalem at the Knesset.

"We regret the EU's announcement by which its representatives will not take part in this event, and expect the participation of many other diplomats," it added.

All of the embassies in Israel are based in Tel Aviv, and not Jerusalem, due to the disputed status of the capital.

The entire city fell under Israeli control during the 1967 Six-Day War, an event marked annually by Jerusalem Day.

The Palestinians, however, want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a future state. On Friday, the Peace Now movement held an alternative event in Jerusalem to "protest against the continuation of the occupation and to create hope for a Jerusalem of peace."