Jewish Democrats on Jerusalem and the Democratic Party
Listed in: Israel, NJDC News, Press Releases
CHARLOTTE, NC- National Jewish Democratic Council President and CEO David A. Harris issued the following statement:
“Jewish Democrats know full well that Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of Israel. We—like President George W. Bush before and leaders of both parties for decades—also know that the final status of Jerusalem will have to be formally decided by the parties. This should come as a surprise to nobody.
“This Administration has the most pro-Israel record of any on record; the facts speak for themselves. From record aid to Israel to unsurpassed supplemental missile defense to heightened military cooperation to an unprecedented perfect voting record at the United Nations to gathering a global coalition against Iran, President Barack Obama has tirelessly worked to strengthen the special partnership between the United States and Israel. Meanwhile, those who are loudest today were silent for eight years when the Republicans ran the executive branch; at the time, President Bush signed waivers 16 times to avoid moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. At the time, President Bush said the future of Jerusalem ‘will be ultimately determined by the interested parties.’ The hypocrisy is stunning, but not surprising.
“As the Democratic Convention gets underway here in Charlotte, Republicans will do everything they can to shift the conversation away from talk of choice, Medicare, marriage equality, and the laundry list of issues on which American Jews overwhelmingly line up with the Democratic Party. But it won’t work.”
