Hundreds of Israelis demonstrated in Jerusalem to protest plans to divide the city.
The protest was held Thursday to protest the idea of ceding parts of eastern Jerusalem to the Palestinians. The demonstration included a laser simulation of Kassam rockets crashing in from eastern Jerusalem.
The rally was organized by One Jerusalem, a group formed several years ago by Israeli and U.S. Jews and evangelical Christians when then-Prime MInister Ehud Barak, now Israel’s defense minister, reportedly was considering a plan that would have divided Jerusalem.
Thursday’s protest was part of an event that brought in 50 bus loads of Israelis from around the country for tours of Jerusalem and lectures about the city’s heritage and strategic value.
Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the crowd Thursday, saying dividing the city would compromise Israel’s security and cede Jewish heritage by giving up the Temple Mount.
“The people of Israel did not sacrifice their soldiers so that the government would later give away Jerusalem,” Netanyahu said.
