Jerusalem conference hailed by Israel, slammed by Palestinians

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Jerusalem (CNN) -- A global economic development agency plans to hold its biannual tourism conference in Jerusalem this week, a move that is welcomed by Israel and slammed by the Palestinians.

The Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development -- which scheduled the meeting from Wednesday to Friday -- usually holds the conference in Paris, France.

The issue of the capital is in dispute. Israel has established its capital in all of Jerusalem. Palestinians consider East Jerusalem as the capital of the future Palestinian state. Nations with ties to Israel question the legitimacy of the capital's present location and have their embassies in Tel Aviv.

Some member countries such as Turkey have already announced that they will not send delegates to the conference because it is being held in Jerusalem, Israeli Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov, told the Israeli daily newspaper Ha'aretz.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/10/19/israel.tourism.conference/