Rivlin: Rabin 'instructed us' to keep Jerusalem united

During his speech at the memorial ceremony for Rabin, President Rivlin recalled that the late prime minister, so often associated with Israel’s peace movement, was also at the vanguard of two military campaigns for Jerusalem, during the 1948 War of Independence and the Six Day War 19 years later.

“Rabin was the one who opened the road to Jerusalem, he was the one who united the city, and he was one who instructed us, both the supporters of the Oslo [accords] and those who opposed [them] to defend Jerusalem,” he said.

“Today” — amid numerous attacks on Israelis by East Jerusalem Palestinians — “it is clear to all of us that we can no longer ignore the existence of East Jerusalem. We can no longer repress its existence.”