State Dept. clarifies Jerusalem's status

Jewish housing in eastern Jerusalem is not part of the Obama administration's demand for a settlement freeze, the State Department clarified.

"As far as Jerusalem is concerned, our policy in Jerusalem has not changed," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said. "Jerusalem is a final-status issue. Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to resolve this status during negotiations."

Kelly had previously said that the administration's demand for a stoppage of settlement construction included Jewish neighborhoods in eastern Jerusalem.

Kelly did not specifically mention the status of settlements in Jerusalem, but Jewish Council for Public Affairs director Hadar Susskind told JTA that he had confirmed with an unnamed senior White House official that the administration considered Jerusalem a final-status issue and that it was not including Jewish housing there in a settlement freeze.

Israel does not consider eastern Jerusalem part of the West Bank, although the international community does refer to housing in that area as settlements. (JTA)