Posted on 05/17/2003 8:09:29 PM PDT by Nix 2
This is the bill that was signed by Clinton in 1995, then the moving of the embassy was waived. President Bush signed the bill to rescind the waiver in 2002, and then fear mongerers at State stuck it in a back drawer. Exccept for the embassy being moved, all other conditions have been LAW! The special conditions of the bill to add Israel after Jerusalem stand. Both birth AND death certificates should read Jerusalem, Israel. It's time to start registering our complaints to someone other than the Treasonous State Department.
H.R. 167 (108th) - Recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel
Overview
The government and people of Israel recognize Jerusalem as the eternal and undivided capital of Israel. Jerusalem has been the spiritual and cultural center of the Jewish people for the past 3000 years.
Jerusalem is the seat of the Israeli government, and since 1950 has been Israel's capital. Across the globe, U.S. embassies are routinely headquartered in that nation's capital. Indeed, of the nearly 200 nations with which the United States has diplomatic relations, Israel is the only country where we neither recognize its capital, nor have our embassy located in that city.
It's long past time for the United States to recognize the Israeli capital by making it the center of our governmental and diplomatic efforts. Israel is, after all, one of America's closest allies and the only democracy in the Middle East.
Background
In 1995, Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act by overwhelming and bipartisan margins. This bill required that the embassy move by May 31, 1999. However, President Clinton issued a waiver on June 17, 1999, postponing the move. By invoking the waiver, he avoided the financial penalty that accompanied his decision not to move the embassy by the legal deadline. The policy provisions of law remain in place - Jerusalem should remain an undivided city and should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel.
H.R. 167
The United States shall not operate 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. Any official document of the United States Government that lists countries and their capital cities shall identify Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
For purposes of the registration of birth, certification of nationality, or issuance of a passport of a United States citizen born in the city of Jerusalem, the Secretary of State shall, upon the request of the citizen or the citizen's legal guardian, record the place of birth as Israel.
Essentially, these provisions were enacted last year (1994,) as part of the State Department Authorization bill (H.R. 1646, 107th). However, the provisions are only valid for funds authorized by the bill, whereas H.R. 167 would be permanent law.
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THIS is what President Bush signed when it reached his desk.
In a little-noticed move, on 13 September 2001 the United States Senate adopted a bill which recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, contrary to United Nations Security Council resolutions 242 and 338. The bill was adopted by 97 votes to none, with three abstentions. The following are the relevant excerpts from the bill.
H.R.2500 Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002. (Engrossed Senate Amendment)
SEC. 405. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act or any other Act for fiscal year 2002 or any fiscal year thereafter may be obligated or 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.
SEC. 406. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act or any other Act for fiscal year 2002 or any fiscal year thereafter may be obligated or expended 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.
SEC. 407. For the purposes of registration of birth, certification of nationality, or issuance of a passport of a United States citizen born in the city of Jerusalem, the Secretary of State shall, upon request of the citizen, record the place of birth as Israel. This title may be cited as `Department of State and Related Agency Appropriations Act, 2002'.
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Anyone who believes President Bush signed this by accident is draindead.
Class action, anyone?
Am Yisrael Chai.
NIX
2
You want LibertyForum. Did you take a right turn when you should have followed the brown arrows?
Or are you just on a short vacation from there?
Fi, foo, fum - I smell:
From: Slings and Arrows
To: askpublicaffairs@state.gov
Subject: Error on your webpage.
Dear Sir or Madam,
On your webpage listing Near-East Embassies and Consulates, a consulate is listed as being located in Jerusalem, which is given the listing status of a nation. It may interest you to know that Jerusalem is a city in the state of Israel, and has been so for over fifty years. I look forward to hearing that you have corrected this error.
Sincerely,
Slings and Arrows
They never replied. I wonder why.
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