Posted on 05/06/2004 9:09:19 AM PDT by yonif
Greek Olympic officials have not listed Jerusalem as Israel's capital city on the official website for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games (www.Athens2004.com).
The entry opposite the heading 'capital' is marked with an asterisk figure (*) instead.
A footnote, at the bottom of the webpage, reads: * Please visit the official United Nations website for further information regarding the capital of Israel.
The comment provides a web link to a United Nations fact file on Israel, which also doesn't list the Jewish State as having a Capital, but instead writes: "The position of the United Nations on the question of Jerusalem is contained in General Assembly Resolution 181 (II) of 29 November 1947."
Some months ago, the website had 'Jerusalem' down as the capital of 'Palestine', while Israel's capital slot was left empty. Following complaints lodged by National Union MK Arye Eldad with the Greek Embassy and Foreign Ministry, Israel's capital was entered as 'Tel Aviv', leaving the Palestinian slot blank.
At this point, the Foreign Ministry approached the organizers of the Olympics, reaching a compromise by which both the Israeli and Palestinian capitals would be omitted from the register.
Foreign Minister Deputy Spokesman David Saranga said that by this step, he views the matter as closed. Pressed, he said that the affair was still under inquiry, and that it was really a matter for the Israeli Olympic Committee.
The committee, for its part, said the issue was strictly a diplomatic one, to be dealt with by the Foreign Ministry.
Another Foreign Ministry official pointed out that it is not only the Athens Olympic site that doesn't recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, but rather the vast majority of the world, including the US. But, he pointed out, it was important to make clear that Tel Aviv is not the nation's capital.
The official said that the Foreign Ministry doesn't intend to pursue the case any further, and that there are more important issues to press with the organizers of Olympics.
One such issue, he said, is a request that there be some kind of commemoration during the games of the 11 Israelis killed at the 1972 Munich Olympics. One idea was for a moment of silence during the Games' opening ceremony, an idea that has so far been refused by the organizers of the Games.
The Greek Ambassador was unavailable for comment.
MK Arye Eldad, who first drew attention to the affair, says it is by no means settled.
"This is no compromise," he said. "It is a diplomatic humiliation.
"No self-respecting country in the world would put up with such an arrangement Palestine is not a state, and therefore – has no capital. Israel, on the other hand, IS a state, and has a capital which the Greek are refusing to recognize."
According to Eldad, not enough has been done by the Foreign Ministry to rectify the situation.
"There are various diplomatic steps Israel could take, if it really wanted to. The Greeks are, after all, very interested in reversing their country's anti-Semitic reputation. The government is obviously satisfied with the present arrangement."
Eldad added, that if all diplomatic intervention fails, Israel should consider boycotting the games. "If this is the situation, I don't want to see Israel's flag flying in Athens," he said.
For what its worth, I started a personal thread about this 2 months ago. You can view it here: Athens 2004 Olympics Site Lists Israel's capital as Tel Aviv (3/2/2004)
Some people sent emails.
I personally sent emails to Jerusalem Post at the time to report on it. I also sent emails to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism. Finally, I sent emails to a handful of right-wing Knesset members, including MK Eldad who is quoted in this article. I am glad it finally reached the mainstream media.
Israel? Where's that?
Having considered the report of the Secretary-General,
1. (The UN) Reiterates its determination that any actions taken by Israel to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the Holy City of Jerusalem are illegal and therefore null and void and have no validity whatsoever;
2. (The UN) Deplores the transfer by some States of their diplomatic missions to Jerusalem in violation of Security Council resolution 478 (1980), and calls once more upon those States to abide by the provisions of the relevant United Nations resolutions, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations;
>But something will happen when I'm president: as soon as I take office I will begin the process of moving the U.S. ambassador to the city Israel has chosen as its capital
Presidential candidate
May 23, 2000
August 28, 2000
American Jewish Committee's Election 2000 Questionnaire, October, 2000
"President Bush is committed to moving our embassy to Jerusalem. The process is ongoing. We have not started any actions yet." Colin Powell, March 2001
To do so right now would be...inconvenient. Wait until after the US elections, after we display the missing Iraqi WMD on world news, and after we deal with the idiots who made Animal House photos in that prison.
The IOC lists Taipei as the capital of "Chinese Taipei." Taipei is the capital of Taiwan, officially titled the Republic of China, but the Communists in the People's Republic of China object to anything that appears to recognize that Taiwan is a country.
Taiwan is not allowed to use its national flag in the Olympics. If they were ever win a gold (not likely), they might not get their national anthem played, either. Even their currency (the New Taiwan Dollar) gets listed with the silly name New Chinese Taipei Dollar.
The IOC clearly bends to the wishes of a few dictators.
Chinese Taipei (TPE)... Continent: Asia Official Name: Chinese Taipei Capital: Taipei Area: 35,980 sq km Population: 22,603,001 Currency: New Chinese Taipei Dollar (TWD) Languages: Mandarin Chinese Government: Multiparty Democratic Regime Official website: -
US President George W. Bush, who promised during the 2000 presidential race to start the process of relocating the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as soon as he took office, has postponed the move for another six months.
Why? The US is crystal clear on the issue. While Congress has directed the Embassy be moved to Jerusalem (years ago, with Presidential discretion on the timing of the move), that's at the discretion of the supervising Ambassador, who prefers Tel Aviv.
H.R.1950
Millennium Challenge Account, Peace Corps Expansion, and Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 2003
Subtitle B--Basic Authorities and Activities
SEC. 221. UNITED STATES POLICY WITH RESPECT TO JERUSALEM AS THE CAPITAL OF ISRAEL.
(a) LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR CONSULATE IN JERUSALEM- None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act may be expended for the operation of a United States consulate or diplomatic facility in Jerusalem unless such consulate or diplomatic facility is under the supervision of the United States Ambassador to Israel.
(b) LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR PUBLICATIONS- None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act may be available for the publication of any official government document which lists countries and their capital cities unless the publication identifies Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
(c) RECORD OF PLACE OF BIRTH AS ISRAEL FOR PASSPORT PURPOSES- The first section of `An Act to regulate the issue and validity of passports, and for other purposes', approved July 3, 1926 (22 U.S.C. 211a; 44 Stat. 887) is amended by inserting after the first sentence the following: `For purposes of the issuance of a passport of a United States citizen born in the city of Jerusalem, the Secretary shall, upon the request of the citizen or the citizen's legal guardian, record the place of birth as Israel.'.
Of course, I find even more annoying that we have NO formal diplomatic presence in Taipei ... but that's a matter for another thread.
I'd agree about Taipai too. It's there and it's not going to become part of China involuntarily.
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