"We will never divide Jerusalem," said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his speech commemorating Jerusalem Day on Ammunition Hill on Wednesday.

Open gallery view Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking at Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem on Wednesday May 12, 2010. Credit: Olivier Fitus

"Jerusalem Day marks the day the city began positively developing for all its citizens, Jews and Arabs alike. We will never again make Jerusalem a divided, disunited, and isolated city."

Jerusalem Day marks 43 years since the establishment of Israeli control over East Jerusalem in 1967.

"We will continue to build and be built in Jerusalem. We will continue to develop, plan, and create in Jerusalem," said Netanyahu in his speech. "We cannot develop in a divided city."

"We are the generation that had the privilege of seeing Jerusalem united, and we need to impart this privilege onto our children and grandchildren," said the prime minister.

"The connection Israel has to Jerusalem is extremely deep and it surpasses any connection any other country has to a city. The connection stayed strong for thousands of years and now it's stronger than ever."

In response to Netanyahu's words, MK Ahmed Tibi (United Arab List-Ta'al) said that "there is no greater lie than the unity of Jerusalem."

"East Jerusalem is a city under foreign occupation, and peace will not established until the occupation ends and East Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine," he said.