Democrats Drop United Jerusalem From Platform
The Democratic National Convention in Charlotte has produced its first surprise for the Jewish community: The party’s 2012 platform drops the 2008 references to Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and as an undivided city.
The platform also no longer asserts that Palestinian refugees will have to settle in a future Palestinian state and receive compensation, rather than return to former homes in Israel, Haaretz reports.
Needless to say, Republicans jumped on the changes from President Barack Obama’s 2008 platform to claim that he’s no friend to Israel.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, who is Jewish, issued a statement through the Romney campaign in which he said the Democratic platform is a continuation of Obama’s “steady distancing” from Israel. He called on “all friends of Israel to condemn the President’s abrupt break with our closest ally in the Middle East.”
The Democrats fired back with a claim of “stunning” hypocrisy by the GOP, The Times of Israel reports.
Interestingly, while the Romney campaign called Jimmy Carter’s spotlight during the Democratic convention’s opening night appropriate because of his similarities with Obama, the Republicans did not point out Carter’s favoritism toward the Palestinians in the past decade or two.
Meanwhile, the Democrats held a training session targeting Jewish voters Monday in Charlotte, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports.
Democrats think Jewish voters could be crucial in some swing states, and they want those voters to look beyond Israel and see the big picture when picking a presidential candidate.
The Obama campaign also released a video, “Steadfast,” touting the president’s support of and cooperation with Israel.
Want to judge the two sides’ words for yourself?
Here’s what the Democrats’ 70-page “Moving America Forward” platform has to say about the Middle East on Page 63:
The Middle East. President Obama and the Democratic Party maintain an unshakable commitment to Israel’s security. A strong and secure Israel is vital to the United States not simply because we share strategic interests, but also because we share common values. For this reason, despite budgetary constraints, the President has worked with Congress to increase security assistance to Israel every single year since taking office, providing nearly $10 billion in the past three years. The administration has also worked to ensure Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region. And we have deepened defense cooperation — including funding the Iron Dome system — to help Israel address its most pressing threats, including the growing danger posed by rockets and missiles emanating from the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran. The President’s consistent support for Israel’s right to defend itself and his steadfast opposition to any attempt to delegitimize Israel on the world stage are further evidence of our enduring commitment to Israel’s security.
It is precisely because of this commitment that President Obama and the Democratic Party seek peace between Israelis and Palestinians. A just and lasting Israeli-Palestinian accord, producing two states for two peoples, would contribute to regional stability and help sustain Israel’s identity as a Jewish and democratic state. At the same time, the President has made clear that there will be no lasting peace unless Israel’s security concerns are met. President Obama will continue to press Arab states to reach out to Israel. We will continue to support Israel’s peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, which have been pillars of peace and stability in the region for many years. And even as the President and the Democratic Party continue to encourage all parties to be resolute in the pursuit of peace, we will insist that any Palestinian partner must recognize Israel’s right to exist, reject violence, and adhere to existing agreements.
Elsewhere in the region, President Obama is committed to maintaining robust security cooperation with Gulf Cooperation Council states and our other partners aimed at deterring aggression, checking Iran’s destabilizing activities, ensuring the free flow of commerce essential to the global economy, and building a regional security architecture to counter terrorism, proliferation, ballistic missiles, piracy, and other common threats.
For comparison, here’s what the 50-page Republican “We Believe in America” platform has to say about Israel and its main threats in the Middle East on Pages 49 and 50:
Our Unequivocal Support of Israel
Israel and the United States are part of the great fellowship of democracies who speak the same language of freedom and justice, and the right of every person to live in peace. The security of Israel is in the vital national security interest of the United States; our alliance is based not only on shared interests, but also shared values. We affirm our unequivocal commitment to Israel’s security and will ensure that it maintains a qualitative edge in military technology over any potential adversaries. We support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state with secure, defensible borders; and we envision two democratic states—Israel with Jerusalem as its capital and Palestine—living in peace and security. For that to happen, the Palestinian people must support leaders who reject terror, embrace the institutions and ethos of democracy, and respect the rule of law. We call on Arab governments throughout the region to help advance that goal. Israel should not be expected to negotiate with entities pledged to her destruction. We call on the new government in Egypt to fully uphold its peace treaty with Israel.
The U.S. seeks a comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East, negotiated between the parties themselves with the assistance of the U.S., without the imposition of an artificial timetable. Essential to that process will be a just, fair, and realistic framework for dealing with the issues that can be settled on the basis of mutually agreed changes reflecting today’s realities as well as tomorrow’s hopes.
The Challenges of a Changing Middle East
… On the other hand, radical elements like Hamas and Hezbollah must be isolated because they do not meet the standards of peace and diplomacy of the international community. We call for the restoration of Lebanon’s independence, which those groups have virtually destroyed. We support the transition to a post-Assad Syrian government that is representative of its people, protects the rights of all minorities and religions, respects the territorial integrity of its neighbors, and contributes to peace and stability in the region. We offer a continuing partnership with the people of Iraq, who have endured extremist terror to now have a chance to build their own security and democracy. We urge special efforts to preserve and protect the ethnic and religious diversity of their nation.
Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons capability threatens America, Israel, and the world. That threat has only become worse during the current Administration. A continuation of its failed engagement policy with Iran will lead to nuclear cascade. In solidarity with the international community, America must lead the effort to prevent Iran from building and possessing nuclear weapons capability. We express our respect for the people of Iran, who seek peace and aspire to freedom. Their current regime is unworthy of them. It exports terror and provided weapons that killed our troops in Iraq. We affirm the unanimous resolution of the U.S. Senate calling for “elections that are free, fair, and meet international standards” and “a representative and responsive democratic government that respects human rights, civil liberties, and the rule of law.” We urge the next Republican President to unequivocally assert his support for the Iranian people as they protest their despotic regime. We must retain all options in dealing with a situation that gravely threatens our security, our interests, and the safety of our friends.
Let us know what you think by commenting on this article, and Wednesday we’ll try to get back to a more normal roundup of Jewish news.
