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Palestinian official comes under fire over Jerusalem comments

The response to comments by Jibril Rajoub shows how difficult it is to publicly address contentious issues involving the holy sites in Jerusalem.
Palestinian Football Association (PFA) President Jibril Rajoub speaks to the media ahead of the 67th FIFA Congress in Manama, Bahrain May 9, 2017. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed - RTS15TON

Senior Palestinian leader Jibril Rajoub has found himself in hot water for comments he made June 3 on Israeli TV Channel 2. Rajoub, a top leader in Fatah, the main faction in the Palestine Liberation Organization and head of the Palestinian Football Association, came under ferocious attack for apparently suggesting Israeli oversight of the Western Wall as part of any peace treaty.

Agence France-Presse quoted Rajoub as having praised US President Donald Trump’s solo visit to the Western Wall as an attempt to appear not to have adopted a position on the holy site. Rajoub reportedly said in Hebrew, “He [Trump] went to the Western Wall, which we understand is a holy place to the Jews. In the end, it must remain under Jewish sovereignty. We have no argument about that. This is a Jewish holy place.”

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