East Jerusalem ‘is not part of Israel,’ insists Czech Republic

A spokeswoman for the foreign ministry of the Czech Republic has told the media that it does not consider East Jerusalem to be part of Israel. “The EU member countries, including the Czech Republic, view Jerusalem as the future capital of both states — the State of Israel and the future State of Palestine,” Irena Valentova insisted.

The Palestinian Authority praised this statement on Monday, saying that the Czechs are “aligned with the truth” on the issue, Anadolu has reported. The Czechs have dropped school atlases in which Jerusalem is shown as the capital of Israel.

According to PA spokesman Yousef Al-Mahmoud, the Czech view is a “rejection” of the Israeli occupation and “denial” of Israel’s settlement plans in East Jerusalem. This is fully in line with international law and legitimacy, he added. “It proves an interest in saving the political process, which is undermined by the occupation.”