Peres: Jerusalem will remain unified

Jerusalem must remain unified, open and accessible to all nations, former Labor party leader Shimon Peres said Friday speaking to Indian reporters.

The issue of Jerusalem has been a "hot" topic over the past week, after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's advisor Kalman Gayer was quoted in Newsweek magazine as saying that Sharon is willing to concede 90 percent of the West Bank and parts of Jerusalem

for the establishment of a Palestinian state with a capital in Jerusalem.

While the prime minister's political rivals, mainly from the Likud, cashed-in on the comments, Sharon denied on more than one occasion his intention to concede parts of the capital.

"We are fundamentally ready to conduct negotiations regarding the West Bank," Peres told the reporters Friday, adding that Israel is committed to the Road Map peace plan.

"We plan to continue negotiations with the Palestinians. But they must know they are responsible for their own future," he said. "We tell the Palestinians, you are responsible for

your future. Take hold of it and stop the terror so that we can proceed."

"We don't want to only disengage, we want to continue negotiations. However, if Hamas plans to negotiate with rifles and explosives, it will create war in the area. Murder and negotiations will not be allowed to occur at the same time." he said. "The problem is not the Palestinian nation, it is terror and terror must be stopped."

Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and close ally to Sharon refused to directly respond to the question of a divided Jerusalem Saturday, saying that the issue is not relevant at present.

"We have to request power of attorney from the nation to conduct negotiations," she said, adding that "Israel must preserve its holy sites, especially Jerusalem."

Peres, who does not currently hold an official position at Kadima, is expected to meet with European Union Envoy Javier Solana on Sunday to discuss Gaza’s economic development and Europe’s willingness to advance a an Israeli-Jordanian economic partnership in the Dead Sea and Arava regions. Peres is also planning to visit the U.S. shortly to hold talks with senior officials on the issue.

The third issue Peres and Solana are expected to discuss is the recent Palestinian convoys agreement, which is currently being delayed pending an Israeli decision to launch a trial run, during which five buses are expected to travel from Gaza to the West bank.

Attila Somfalvi contributed to the report