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Recast: Israel keeps Judaizing Jerusalem by changing names of Arab streets: official

Xinhua, September 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

A senior Palestinian official accused Israeli government on Monday of escalating measures of Judaizing the east part of Jerusalem by changing Arab names of streets into Jewish ones.

Adnan Husseini, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) minister for Jerusalem Affairs, told Xinhua that the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem approved a plan of changing Arabic names of streets into Jewish ones.

"Many streets and neighborhoods in the old city that carry Arabic names will be changed into Jewish names," said Husseini, adding that "the municipality of Jerusalem began to change names today (Monday)."

He stressed that Palestinians reject the Israeli measures, adding that "Jerusalem is an old city and there are many historic names, therefore, changing these names means that Israel is forging history and we will never accept it."

The senior PNA official announced that the PNA will complain to the international agencies against the Israeli measures, adding that "the international agencies should bear in mind the ancient names in the old city of Jerusalem."

"These measures are illegal and rejected. Israel doesn't have the right to ignore the historic rights of 360,000 Palestinians living in eastern part of the city and their rights in their lands," said al-Husseini.

He slammed stance of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization for keeping silent toward the Israeli measures in Jerusalem, adding that "unfortunately, the international agency of the UN surrendered to Israel and the United States."

Meanwhile, Saeb Erekat, the secretary General of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee, said in an emailed press statement that the Israeli measures in Jerusalem "undermined the Middle East peace."

Erekat made the remarks in a meeting held in the West Bank city of Jericho with Foreign Minister of Norway. Erekat said "Israel ignores the signed agreements and continues its policy of dictations and settlements expansions." Endit