Israel parliament passes law making Jerusalem split more difficult

Jerusalem (dpa) - The Israeli parliament has passed a law making any division of the city of Jerusalem more difficult in the future.In order for the Knesset to relinquish any part of the city in the future, a two-thirds majority will be needed, the parliament said on its website Tuesday. Previously, a simple majority was sufficient.The decision comes nearly a month after US President Donald Trump decided to recognize the contested city as the Israeli capital, sparking protests around the world.A total of 13 Palestinians have died in clashes with Israeli forces since the US decision.A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas criticized the change to the law."This vote clearly shows that Israel has officially declared an end to the so-called peace process," the spokesman was quoted as saying by Palestinian news agency Wafa.The status of Jerusalem, which Israel occupied in 1967, is one of the most sensitive issues in the decades-long conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.Israel has long claimed Jerusalem as its "undivided capital," while the Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.