Disney Exhibit Won’t Designate Jerusalem as Capital of Israel
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ORLANDO, Fla. — Facing pressure from Arab nations, Disney officials said Friday that a controversial exhibit on Israel for its millennium celebration will not designate Jerusalem as the political capital of Israel.
Disney spokesman Bill Warren wouldn’t say what role the Arab pressure played in Disney’s decision, nor did he say if any changes had been made to the exhibit after a meeting between Walt Disney World President Al Weiss and Arab leaders earlier this week.
The status of Jerusalem is by far the thorniest issue in peace talks between Israel and Palestinians.
Israel captured the eastern sector of Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War, annexed it immediately and insists that the entire city remain its “eternal, undivided” capital. The Palestinians want to make East Jerusalem the capital of their independent state.
The “Millennium Village” is due to open Oct. 1 at Epcot Center in Orlando. Israel contributed $1.8 million to the exhibit.
The 2,400-square-foot Israel Pavilion will showcase the nation’s agricultural, energy and high-tech industries. Visitors will also enter a huge structure built as a copy of the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City.
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