U.S. State Department Does Not Recognize Jerusalem As Capital Of Israel

U.S. State Department does not recognize Jerusalem as Capital of Israel

A State Department official refused to state that Jerusalem is the capitol of Israel when pressed today by AP State Department reporter Matt Lee.

The Free Beacon was first to report yesterday that the department had quietly altered an official communication that originally referred to Israel and Jerusalem and separate entities.

When pressed by a reporter earlier today, State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland carefully avoided calling Jerusalem the capital of Israel, instead deflecting the query by claiming that Jerusalem’s ultimate status will only be determined in peace negotiations by the Israelis and Palestinians.

“The first media note was issued in error, without appropriate clearances,” Nuland explained when asked about the altered press release. “We reissued the note to make clear that undersecretary, acting undersecretary for—our—Kathy Stephens will be travelling to Algiers, Doha, Amman, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem. With regard to our Jerusalem policy, it’s a permanent-status issue.  It’s got to be resolved through the negotiations between the parties.”

Pressed further on whether the State Department considers any part of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city, Nuland bristled.

“Our policy with regard to Jerusalem is that it has to be solved through negotiations,” she said. “That’s all I have to say on this issue.”

The State Department has altered an official communication to erase the fact that it had referred to Israel and Jerusalem as separate entities.

The release now states: “Acting Under Secretary Kathleen Stephens Travels to Algiers, Doha, Amman, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv.” In a previous iteration of the release, the State Department separated Jerusalem from Israel.

An official State Department communication has labeled Jerusalem and Israel as separate entities.

In an official press release yesterday, the State Department announced that “Acting Under Secretary Kathleen Stephens Travels to Algeria, Qatar, Jordan, Jerusalem, and Israel.”

Keeping up with its longstanding policy, the State Department refuses to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s official capital—despite a U.S. law stating otherwise. Obama faced criticism on the issue last year, when it was revealed that the White House had scrubbed all references to Jerusalem being part of the Jewish state from a collection of photos on its website.

Obama has also been lambasted by pro-Israel leaders and some on Capitol Hill for capitulating to pressure from the State Department, which has long opposed U.S. law on the matter.

A senior GOP aide condemned the State Department’s recent press release as unsound foreign policy.

“Once again, President Obama’s administration reminds Jewish voters why he cannot be trusted when it comes to Israel’s security,” said the source. “He doesn’t think Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Is it its own sovereign nation?”

The GOP source also chided Obama for continuing to buck U.S. law on the issue.

“Under U.S. law, Jerusalem is recognized as the undivided capital of Israel—period,” said the adviser. “Unlike the U.S. embassy’s move, that fact is not subject to any waiver or exception. So the question really is, why is Barack Obama ignoring U.S. law and refusing to recognize Israel’s capital?”

The White House did not respond to request for comment.

So which is it President Obama.  Do you recognize Jerusalem as Israel Capital, like you said in your Presidential Run back in 2008 or not?????

NEWS SOURCE