(MENAFN - Jordan News Agency) Ramallah, Jan 2 (Petra) –– Israel's parliament the Knesset passed a bill in the early hours Tuesday that requires a special two-thirds majority vote to cede any part of occupied East Jerusalem to the Palestinians under any future peace deal.

After a three-hour debate, the so-called "unified Jerusalem" bill passed its second and third readings by a majority vote of 64 in favour, 51 against and one abstention. The controversial legislation, which was proposed by right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu member Shuli Moalem-Rafaeli, requires 80 of the 120 members of the Knesset to support relinquishing any part of the city, not the normal 60+1 majority.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem in the 1967 war and annexed it in 1980 in a move that has not been internationally recognised.

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2/1/2018 - 02:45:17 PM

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