White House wants Romney to explain Israel remarks

Alarabiya ^ | 7/30/12 | AFP Staff

[Nachum]

The White House called Monday on Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney to explain recent remarks including his apparent endorsement of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, a position that counters U.S. policy.

Romney, in the midst of a three-nation tour, gave a speech Sunday in Jerusalem where he hailed the city as “the capital of Israel,” in apparent support of a position held by the Jewish state but never accepted by the global community.

The comment was swiftly rejected by Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat as “unacceptable” and “harmful to American interests in our region.”

But after Romney made fresh controversial statements Monday to donors in Jerusalem including suggesting Israeli “culture” helped explain the country’s economic success -- a position Erakat denounced as “racist” -- President Barack Obama’s office urged Romney to clarify his comments.

[cookcounty]

"But after Romney made fresh controversial statements Monday to donors in Jerusalem including suggesting Israeli “culture” helped explain the country’s economic success -- a position Erakat denounced as “racist” -- President Barack Obama’s office urged Romney to clarify his comments."

"Cultures," at their roots, are an accumulation of ideas.

And, yes, White House morons, ideas DO matter.

[bray]

So are the Ayrabs going to stop loving us?

Pray for America

[FreedomOfExpression]

If he wanted to make policy with Israel he should have waited 6 months...

He was declaring a fact, is that so hard to understand?
Google the CIA factbook, wikipedia, or even go to the library and look it up in an encyclopedia if you have to.
It may change with future negotiation, but as of now the capital is Jerusalem.
When did the stating of a fact become making policy?

[mplsconservative]

Obama’s simply wrong. I have no problem with him speaking the truth.

[saywhatagain]

Yup, am on my second bucket of popcorn. Extra butter and a pinch of salt.

For me, game started when they declared stay at home moms do no work. Mittens has had a few dropped passes, but no turnover.

Obamination fumbled and had a turnover with those famous words about about we are not responsible for our success

Declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel clearly and boldly is Mittens spiking the football

Speaking of "OUTING" a President. Mittens OUTED the whole Democrat party!

[Sacajaweau]

Can we say neener, neener now??

[Karliner]

Bit out of context but Jerusalem is a cup of trembling, hoping Obeyma feels that 'cup" trembling sort of like the last night Belshazzar drank from Israel's temple cup(s) and by the end of the night," he was found wanting."

Jerusalem is Israel's capital, always was, always will be since Melchizedek

[SaraJohnson]

Since I’ve only seen this “demandment” from the White Hut claimed by an Arab news source, and I know Arabs freely lie, I think someone made this up.

This is a topic Bammy would want to disappear during the election in order to ease Jewish liberal guilt for supporting the demise of Israel. After the election, look out Israel and America, his two central enemies. Jewish liberals will then take on the act of shocked victims who demand socialism from a guilty America.

Even if Romney wins and he wants to support Israel, Obama now has Israel surrounded by radical jihadists who want to kill all the Jooooos. It will not be smoothe sailing no matter what.

[Sacajaweau]

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/29/romney-says-jerusalem-is-israels-capital-vows-to-move-embassy/

[Sacajaweau]

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-104publ45/pdf/PLAW-104publ45.pdf

[Cementjungle]

Heck, even Wikipedia shows Jerusalem as Israel’s capital (at least now it does).

[P-Marlowe]

Right or wrong Willard should have kept his big ugly mouth shut...

Israel's Capital is Jerusalem. Period. To deny that fact is to deny the sovereignty of Israel as a state.

Romney was speaking as a private citizen and is not beholden to any official policy of the Obama administration.

Now if Romney says that his favorite fast food joint is Chick-fil-A and that homosexuality is an abomination before God, then he might move up a notch on my radar.

I'm sure Virgil Goode would have given the same statement as Romney.

[Catsrus]

I love the sound of liberal heads exploding. I believe the Bible says that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. If its good enough for God - that’s all I need to know.

[newzjunkey]

The White House and some press have convenient memories. As you mentioned, candidate Obama did express the same viewpoint.

(Reuters) "Previous U.S. presidential candidates, including Senator Obama in June 2008, have referred to Jerusalem as Israel's capital ahead of elections, only to row back when taking power and suggest the issue should be resolved by negotiations."

Here's Obama, visiting Israel in 2008, declaring, "I've always said that Jerusalem will be Israel's capital."

Source

[Slings and Arrows]

“’Shut up,’ he explained.”
—Ring Lardner

[mass55th]

I like that idea. I second that.

[matthew fuller]

This might get interesting. Pass the popcorn, please.

[matthew fuller]

This moment in time has the possibility of becoming Romney’s defining performance. How he handles this challenge is a make-or-break performance.

[beenaround]

What is the issue? The issue is the Obama campaign needs another issue to run on since they can’t use the economy or anything else they have done to help them.

At this point they are flailing about and haven’t the first clue what to do to counter the bad press Obama is getting on all fronts.

[Rummyfan]

But after Romney made fresh controversial statements Monday to donors in Jerusalem including suggesting Israeli “culture” helped explain the country’s economic success -- a position Erakat denounced as “racist” -- President Barack Obama’s office urged Romney to clarify his comments.

LOL! I'll explain it - Israel has been a nation since 1948 but has already surpassed all of her older more established neighbors: Syria, Jordan, Egypt - wrt standard of living and industrial ouptut (Israeli companies are world-leaders in digital communications and video processing for example). Whereas all the Arab nations surrounding her are still trying to figure out how to dispose of camel dung. Why the difference? Could it be...... RELIGION!