Washington, DC - APN today condemned the attack on President Obama and the Democratic National Committee over language in the Democratic platform regarding Jerusalem.
APN President and CEO Debra DeLee stated:
"U.S. policy on Jerusalem has been consistent for decades and has been entirely non-partisan. No U.S. president, from either party, has formally recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital or recognized Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem. This policy dates back to pre-1948 and has evolved over the past decades into a bipartisan commitment to a negotiated resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that includes a negotiated resolution to competing claims in Jerusalem. Unfortunately, for decades American political parties and candidates have, during election campaigns, chosen to shamelessly pander on Jerusalem, obfuscating their own commitment to this longstanding, bipartisan, responsible U.S. policy on the issue.
"The Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee deserve credit for a platform that is unequivocal in its support for Israel. They likewise deserve credit, not criticism, for a platform that in reality does not shift U.S. policy one iota on the issue of Jerusalem, but rather offers a breath of fresh air by refraining from pandering on the issue with empty words that are disconnected from longstanding U.S. policy on this sensitive issue. The current political tempest-in-a-teapot over Jerusalem is a shameful display of politicking at its most cynical, and comes at the expense of both American and Israeli interests.
"In our hearts, Jerusalem is and will forever be Israel's capital. However, the Jerusalem of daily life on the ground poses extremely delicate and volatile foreign policy and national security challenges for Israel. Election season political pandering in the U.S. over the status of Jerusalem won't change this reality. The future of Jerusalem can only be resolved through a peace agreement that delivers a two-state solution to the conflict, consistent with commitments freely undertaken by successive Israeli leaders and consistent with longstanding U.S. policy under presidents from both political parties."
Email a friend
twitter
facebook
feed
This is where I disagree with Peace Now. Jerusalem just cannot be geographically divided, even along the old Jordanian boundaries. The Western Wall is only a few feet away from the Dome of the Rock. How can an international boundary be placed there? It is not possible. Israeli-Palestinian peace is going to require some bitter pills to swallow. The bitter pills the Palestinians are going to have to swallow, is that Ramallah will have to remain their capital. Also, more international aid would be required to move the Palestinian capital from Ramallah to Jerusalem. The bitter pill the Israelis are going to have to swallow, is making a decision about what to do about the West Bank settlements. Either return the settlers back to the pre-1967 borders, or let them stay and become citizens of Palestine.