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RAMALLAH, (PIC)-- Banished Palestinian legislator Mohammed Abu Teir said he is fully confident that he will return to his native city of Jerusalem in spite of Israel’s arrogance.

Abu Teir, who represents Jerusalem on the Palestinian Legislative Council, told the Palestinian Information Center that Israel’s orders to banish Jerusalem’s Palestinian officials were based on a political decision and that the Israeli courts have no independent decision in the matter, which is actually run by Israeli intelligence.

After the MP was exiled to Ramallah, he says he has not belonged to any specific country and has refused to apply for Palestinian citizenship as it would mean relinquishing his right of residence in Jerusalem.

On the Palestinian Authority’s official role, Abu Teir said that the PA did not do what was required in supporting the cause of the Palestinian officials exiled by Israel, adding that it played no political or judicial role in ending their ordeal.

He said the PA’s representative in the UN should have activated UN resolution no. 799 providing that all those banished in Israel’s 1992 exile of Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders to Marj al-Zuhur in southern Lebanon should be returned to Jerusalem.

Two other PLC members, Ahmed Attoun and Mohammed Toutah, and former minister, Khalid Abu Arafeh, from Jerusalem have been seeking asylum at the Jerusalem Red Cross after Israel issued orders to banish them.

Mohammed Abu Teir praised their resolve as they have recently entered their second year in refuge. He said they have set a “new model in steadfastness” in the face of the Israeli occupier and that no one has ever withstood so much suffering to preserve the right to remain in Jerusalem.

Abu Teir also saluted the Palestinians in Jerusalem who have shown support to their representatives, saying they have shown a fine example in patriotism and that he is proud to be a Jerusalemite.