Begin, Kollek on Jerusalem Day

The liberation of Jerusalem in 1967 was hailed by Premier Menachem Begin today as one of the greatest days of victory in the annals of the ancient Jewish people” when “we returned to the source.” in a special message released on the eve of Jerusalem Day which will be celebrated tomorrow to mark the 13th anniversary of the reunification of the city, Begin declared:

“This year we celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of the liberation and reunification of Jerusalem, the capital of Israel for three millennia, and for all generations to come. It is the most sacred Bar Mitzvah in the lives of our people, both in the land of Israel and in the diaspora. We rejoice in it and we take a silent oath: Jerusalem will never be divided, it will always be one Yerushalaim, radiating glory–the eternal capital of our country, our people, our faith, our civilization.”

Mayor Teddy Kollek of Jerusalem addressed is Jerusalem Day message to all Jewish communities in Israel and abroad. “Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, has now been reunited for 13 years,” he said, “end I believe we can point with pride to the impressive progress which has been made in our city, where Jews, Christians and Moslems live together peacefully despite the absence of a political consensus, and where religious and secular institutions of higher learning continue to flourish in the true tradition of Jerusalem.”

He warned, however, that “we cannot afford to relax our efforts to strengthen Jerusalem in a political, economic, cultural and last but not least, in a spiritual context” because “not only among our enemies, but in friendly quarters plans are a foot which would undermine the national, ecumenical and universal character of Jerusalem.”