Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Tuesday said his government has helped fund the renovation of 14 schools in east Jerusalem. This comment came as Israel insists it will not give up any part of Jerusalem, including the eastern sector. Iisrael warned Fayyad against entering Jerusalem to make Tuesday's announcement about the renovations.
According to Fayad, investing in Jerusalem "is part of our responsibility, and we are not going to relinquish that."
An aide said the Palestinian Authority contributed more than $5 million, funneled through civic groups, to renovate 14 private Palestinian schools in east Jerusalem and an additional one on the edge of the city, in the West Bank suburb of Dahiat al-Barid, where Fayyad spoke Tuesday, accordingto th AP.
Renovating the schools "is an important achievement along our path toward freedom and independence," Fayyad said during a ceremony at the West Bank school. "The Palestinian state will be established in the West Bank and Gaza, with Jerusalem as its heart."
He acknowledged that he didn't enter Jerusalem because of the Israeli warnings, saying he didn't want to divert attention from the school program. Fayyad noted that, like other Palestinian officials, he is subject to Israeli restrictions on movement.
