Israeli bill makes it difficult for Palestinians to have E Jerusalem as their capital

JERUSALEM, Jan 02 (Agencies): Israeli legislators have approved a bill that makes it more difficult to divide Jerusalem.

The bill passed early on Tuesday and stipulates that two-thirds support is needed in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, before Israel can relinquish control over any portion of the holy city to a foreign entity, according to local media.

The bill is widely seen as intended to make it more difficult to give up part of Jerusalem to the Palestinian Authority, which wants the city's eastern half to be the capital of an independent Palestinian state.

The bill, backed by Israel's ruling right-wing coalition, was passed with 64 Knesset members voting in favour and 52 against, according to the Haaretz newspaper.

Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Oragnisation's executive committee, said the bill would "destroy" hopes for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

He went on to blame the US for the move, saying it was the outcome of a decision by President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Trump also said he intended to move the country's embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The decision prompted widespread condemnation and protests in the occupied Palestinian territories and around the world. In a non-binding resolution, the United Nations General Assembly declared the US move "null and void".

Meanwhile, Israel has extended the detention without trial of a prominent Palestinian politician by another six months, the army said Tuesday, meaning she will spend at least one year in custody.

Khalida Jarrar was arrested on July 2 for being a senior member in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a movement considered a terrorist organisation by Israel, the United States and the European Union.

She had been released from prison only a year before.

Details of the accusations against her are secret, as is customary with Israeli administrative detention orders, which allow detention without trial for renewable six-month periods.

A legislator in the largely defunct Palestinian parliament, she was given a six-month administrative detention order in July.

On December 24, the detention was extended by another six months "after security personnel found she still poses a substantial threat," the Israeli army said.

"The decision to hold Jarrar under administrative detention was made as a last resort, after the military official who signed the arrest warrant was displayed confidential information that clearly substantiates the threat posed by Jarrar," the army said in a statement.

Many PFLP leaders are in custody and Jarrar has been jailed multiple times.

The 54-year-old had only been released in June 2016 after 14 months in an Israeli jail for allegedly encouraging attacks against Israelis.

Israel says administrative detention is intended to allow authorities to hold suspects while continuing to gather evidence, with the aim of preventing attacks in the meantime.

But the system has been criticised by Palestinians, human rights groups and members of the international community who say Israel abuses the measure.