View of the Old City of Jerusalem (Photo: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Czech Republic Backtracks on Jerusalem Capital Denial
“Yerushalayim, that art builded as a city that is compact together.” Psalms 122:3 (The Israel Bible™)
The Czech Education Ministry reversed its decision requiring the company that prints atlases for the country’s schools to stop naming Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Education Minister Katerina Valachova told Czech Radio on Tuesday, the Prague Daily Monitor reported.
“Jerusalem is Israel’s capital from the viewpoint of the declaration of the country to which this relates, which means Israel,” Valachova said. “If there is a sentence relating to all of the international steps, I believe that this fact will not offend either side.”
Palestinian Ambassador to Prague Khaled Alattrash convinced the government to force textbook publisher Shocart to rewrite all books listing Jerusalem as the capital or risk losing certification.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat wrote to Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka on Sept. 4 urging him to rescind the decision.
“Jerusalem is on the map!” Barkat responded to the decision.
Barkat said he’s thankful to the Czech government for its decision and “for refusing to surrender to Palestinian incitement and lies. I am pleased that my letter to Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka and the additional diplomatic efforts have positively impacted this decision.”
