Thousands of Jewish people, young and old, have been celebrating Jerusalem Day. It’s been marked every year since the unification of the city when Israel captured East Jerusalem in 1967. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu who recently returned from a summit with President Obama said Jerusalem would always be Jewish. He said: “A united Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Jerusalem was and will always be ours. It shall never be divided and split again.”

Meanwhile in another part of the city Israelis staged a demonstration in protest at President Obama’s call for a two state solution. Palestinians want to establish their own state in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. Israelis gathered near the US consulate chanting that two states would endanger the Jewish state. During his White House summit Prime Minister Netanyahu was told illegal Jewish settlements on Arab land must stop. And Thursday Israeli security forces demolished a minor Jewish outpost at Maoz Esther. One settler said: “ I promise everyone that every time they demolish our homes we will build five times as many next time.” For years Israel has promised to remove outposts, but has done little. Now settlers have been warned more may be removed.More about: Jerusalem

Copyright © 2012 euronews