Per the US State Department, as reflected by the United States Consul General, Jerusalem is NOT the capitol of Israel, despite the knesset and government ministries being located there - it is the capitol of Palestine, even though the Palestinian authority is headquartered in Ramallah.
Yes, that is a US government representative that stated that. Your tax dollars at work.
The consulate's website did not mention Israel in any way, and referred only to Palestinian affairs.
A letter requesting clarification received this response:
"Thank you for your feedback on the U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem's Website. Just to clarify, the Consulate General in Jerusalem is the principal representation to the Palestinian Authority. We also provide services to American citizens in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza.
"The U.S. embassy to Israel is in Tel Aviv and is focused on the bilateral relationship with Israel. Their website is http://usembassy-israel.org.il/. The American Center in Jerusalem also provides information about the United States to the Israeli public.
Their website is http://usembassy-israel.org.il/ac/ .
"Jerusalem is a final status issue. Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to resolve its status during negotiations. We will support their efforts to reach agreements on all final status issues."
SOURCE:
http://zionism-israel.com/israel_news/2009/08/is-this-us-policy-recognize-east.html
It would appear that the State Department has unilaterally decided to deviate from official US policy.
The United States Jerusalem Embassy Act (1995):
"Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel; and the United States Embassy in Israel should be established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999".
Section 214 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 2003:
"The Congress maintains its commitment to relocating the United States Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem ... "
U.S House of Representatives concurrent resolution 152 (June 5, 2007):
"Commends Israel for its administration of the undivided city of Jerusalem for the past 40 years, during which Israel has respected the rights of all religious groups;
Reiterates its commitment to the provisions of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 and calls upon the President and all United States officials to abide by its provisions; "
Despite the Jerusalem Embassy Act being suspended annually by the president in a futile act of pandering to the Europeans and Arabs, the Administration "remains committed to beginning the process of moving our embassy to Jerusalem".
In consequence, official U.S. documents and web sites refer to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Perhaps the State Department considers itself a separate country? Not part of the United States at all?
It's quite possible, after all they do seem at times to act quite contrary to American interests.
Feel free to query Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about this matter.
She is currently at this address:
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street North West, Washington, DC 20520.
202-647-4000
If you send her a letter, please be polite and courteous, like you would to a leader of a foreign nation, or one of our erstwhile allies who needs to be won over to our side. Do not bring up secondary matters, and keep your epistle simple. Thank you.
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Crossposted at my own blog: http://grantpatel.blogspot.com/
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The problem with the Jerusalem Relocation Act of 1995, as well as the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006, is that some knucklehead Congressmen saw fit to include a "National Security Waiver". Which Clinton, Bush, and now Obama have all abused as a legal loophole to avoid compliance with the law.
ReplyDeleteIts never been explained as to w3hy an oppressive, illegal Jordanian occupation of half of the ancient and modern Jewish capitol of Jerusalem for only 19 years, 1948-67, somehow transforms Jerusalem into "the Palestinian Capitol." During the Jordanian occupation, all Jews were ethnically cleansed, their property confiscated, 56 synagogues ruined etc. In a true Apartheid, Jews on that basis alone, were barred from worship at sites holy to Judaism. Jerusalem has never been the capitol of any Moslem political entity, ever, whiles its ALWAYS been the center of spiritual and political Jewish life. The transparent duplcity of the Palestinians is revealed immediately when one realizes that the fictitous "E. Jerusalem" the Palestinians arrogantly demand, is in actuality the militarily strategic high points necessary to control the remainder of the city with artillery, just as the Jordanian Arabs had done. It just takes a few minutes of reading the history of the battles, and traveling around Jerusalem and it becomes clear.
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