Israel to Palestinians: Here are the Keys to (East) Jerusalem

Since the first time I lived in Israel on a research leave in 1978, I have believed that the Israeli government was prepared to give the Arabs the keys to Jerusalem if the price was right. It pained me to realize that since I was a strong young idealistic mystical Jerusalem-lover. The emphasis should not be placed on the "was" in that sentence, rather on the "strong". I have learned to spread my admiration for Israel more widely and have become less mystical and less idealistic as I matured.

The interesting irony in today's headline news is the fact that the wingnut hawks support putting Jerusalem on the negotiating table.

Israel may OK division of Jerusalem
JERUSALEM - Senior Israeli officials expressed support Monday for the transfer of Arab parts of Jerusalem to Palestinian control, offering a concession on one of the most contentious issues in the Mideast conflict. The offer appeared to fall short of Palestinian calls for a full Israeli withdrawal from key areas of the holy city...

Cabinet minister Avigdor Lieberman, head of the hawkish Yisrael Beitenu, said the party supports Ramon's offer on Jerusalem as long as the Palestinians agree to let Israel maintain control of West Bank areas of Jewish settlement blocs. The Palestinians want a future state to include the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem.

"Within this framework, we are willing to exchange refugee camps that are in the Jerusalem municipal boundaries," Lieberman told Israel Radio.

Lieberman holds a popular Israeli view that the Jewish state must give up the outlying areas of Jerusalem, where tens of thousands of Palestinians live, in order to preserve a Jewish majority in the city.

UPDATE: OLMERT DENIES REPORT OF PARTITION OFFER (NEWSDAY):

"Olmert spokesman David Baker told Newsday the partition of Jerusalem has not been a part of the Prime Minister's discussions with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas."