US State Department Still Refusing to Say Jerusalem Is Capital of Israel
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First we learned that the traditional pro-Israel language affirming that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel was deleted from this year’s Democratic Party Platform. Then, after waves of negative publicity, the Democrats re-inserted the magic language in a balagan that will be remembered as one of the most chaotic moments in political party convention history, despite the lack of an obvious 2/3s majority. In less than an hour, Democratic National Committee Chair Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fl) was saying, with a straight face, that of course it was the position of this administration, as it always had been, that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.
And Wasserman Schultz insisted that the position of President Obama has always been that Jerusalem is and always will remain the capital of Israel. What’s more, she stated in numerous interviews, that it was President Obama who made sure that the language be re-inserted into the platform. Never mind that Wasserman Schultz has, throughout this campaign, adamantly supported the State Department Spokeswoman and the White House Press Secretary’s refusal to name Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
But we’re not done yet.
Less than 24 hours after the “Jerusalem is the capital of Israel” language was reinserted, this administration has once again shifted course. In today’s State Department’s daily press conference, the United States officially refuses to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
- ISRAEL
- Status of Jerusalem
TRANSCRIPT:
12:52 p.m. EDT
MR. VENTRELL: Okay, good afternoon. Welcome to the State Department. We have with us some diplomats who are headed out to be spokespeople at some of our embassies overseas, so welcome to the briefing, to all of you. I don’t have anything else, so I’ll turn it over to you.
Go ahead.
QUESTION: On Israel?
MR. VENTRELL: Yeah.
QUESTION: Which city does the U.S. Government recognize as the capital in the – Israel?
MR. VENTRELL: Well, as you know, longstanding Administration policy, both in this Administration and in previous administrations across both parties, is that the status of Jerusalem is an issue that should be resolved in final status negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. So that’s longstanding Administration policy and continues to be so.
QUESTION: I mean, no city is recognized as a capital by the U.S. Government?
MR. VENTRELL: Again, I just stated our position, and it’s one we’ve said here many times before.
QUESTION: That means Jerusalem is not a part of Israel?
MR. VENTRELL: What it means is that the status of Jerusalem must be resolved in final status negotiations.
QUESTION: But you do have an Embassy in a city which is not Jerusalem.
MR. VENTRELL: Our Embassy is in Tel Aviv, and we have a Consulate General in Jerusalem.
QUESTION: Right. But I mean, if you have an Embassy, usually it’s in the capital; so therefore, it would appear that you believe that Tel Aviv is the capital.
MR. VENTRELL: What we believe is that the status of Jerusalem should be determined in final status negotiations between the two parties. And currently, our Embassy is in Tel Aviv.
QUESTION: Are there any other countries in the world where the U.S. doesn’t know what the capital is or won’t say what the capital of a country is?
QUESTION: What does the U.S. think the capital of Israel is? What do you –
MR. VENTRELL: As I’ve just said, we believe that the status of Jerusalem is an issue that should be resolved in final status –
QUESTION: I’m not asking you that question. I’m asking you what you think the capital is.
MR. VENTRELL: And my response is that Jerusalem is an issue that should be resolved in final status negotiations.
QUESTION: She didn’t ask about Jerusalem, though.
MR. VENTRELL: Look, this is something we’ve been through at this podium. Toria has been through it before. We’ve repeated it many times. You know that the position is. It hasn’t changed for decades.
QUESTION: Wait, I know that. And I don’t want to play the verbal game, I’m just very curious if you actually have a position about a capital of that country. And if you don’t, if – I just would like to hear you say you don’t.
MR. VENTRELL: Well, right now, Nicole –
QUESTION: Yes.
MR. VENTRELL: — the situation is that we have an Embassy in Tel Aviv that represents our interests with the Government of Israel but that the issue of Jerusalem is one that has to be resolved between the two parties. That’s all I can say on this.
Anything else? Thank you.
(The briefing was concluded at 1:04 p.m.)
tell a friendAbout the Author: Lori Lowenthal Marcus is the US correspondent for The Jewish Press. She is a recovered lawyer who previously practiced First Amendment law and taught in Philadelphia-area graduate and law schools.
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This administration is run by a pro Palestinian, anti Semite. Obama believes Jerusalem belongs to the Jordanian refugees. A vote for Obama is a vote for the destruction of Israel.
Presidents have been saying for years that Jerusalem is the Capital of Israel as have both parties. And for just as long the State Department has refused to acknowlege it. We know that State is dominated by Arabists.
Obama is dominated by Arabists. He's got a special thing with the Muslim brotherhood. Went to an anti semite anti white anti America anti Israel church of hate & has a boss who's an unrepentant Nazi youth (George Soros). Grew up a muslim communist, mentored by Frank Marshall Davis hardcore (all of the above) & commie propagandist, Took God & Jerusalem out of the platform & opened the DNC this year with radical Muslims doing 2 hr opening prayers. There's a lot more but you get my drift. That's BHO. It's who he is.
I fully agree with Randy Goldwater. A vote for Obama is a vote for the destruction of Israel. The Democratic party simply borrowed Jerusalem for last night's shindig, just as Obama borrowed Israel's back for his Aipec talk. As we all remember, he went back on his word then, too. Obama stands firmly for himself first, and for the Arab side of the Arab Israeli conflict, second. It is his right to do so. If only he'd only keep his feet from shifting, we'd at least be able to respect him as a man with a stand.
Batya Casper.
The Human Face of Conflict.
http://www.Israelathebook.com
That is Politics for you ""STAY ON THE PICKET FENCE WITHOUT FALLING ON IT""OUCH;OUCH TEETORING POLITICIANS::ALLELIUA.
Another State Dept weasel. This another, among many depts that need New broom sweeping.
And the kapo whore debbie immediately runs to chairman barack's defense. Even her own synagogue booed her out during her last appearance. I wonder how much she is getting paid to stoke the ovens. soros taught her well.
And it was Debbie Wasserman Schultz who approved bumping Rabbi Wolpe's prayer until after all the delegates' votes were counted for the nomination. That took hours, and people left in droves, even the media. So by the time Wolpe was invited on stage, there was no one there but the cleaning crew! Have you seen the CSPAN video? The rabbi is giving the prayer to a hall of empty chairs, over the sound of vacuum cleaners! And did Debbie stay to give moral support to the rabbi? Of course not? Did Schumer stay? Not a chance! What a fitting end to the anti-Semitic spectacle earlier in the day. I want every major news network to AIR THE PRAYER in prime time, so the entire country can see how the DNC rewards its loyal Jewish base!
Can ANYONE tell me why 98% of the Jewish American People vote for democrats. It just boggles my mind. I mean, just lookat Bloomberg, Mayor of NYC, is one of the Biggest Anti-Israeli Jew I have ever seen or heard of. Someone please answer.
They know that the Platform is nothing but window dressing – it means nothing – you have to go into the store to really see what they have. I love how they keep repeating the same sentence – again and again and again – as if it's some kind of mantra. The Consulate in Jerusalem serves the Arab population….not Jews.
How can anyone believe that the Obama administration would, if given a second chance, be of benefit to Israel. Just look at the actual vote at the DNC in opposition to God and the status of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Then add to that the rude behavior of Obama in regard to Netanyahu.
Being a Jew and a pacifist is one thing but voting for a man who would ignore the threat to Israel is quite another.
I did not know I was wtching the democratic party yesterday I thought it was a fringe nazi party.