SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL AND JERUSALEM AS ITS CAPITAL MISSING FROM DEMOCRATIC PARTY PLATFORM

Gay marriage and abortion rights more important to Democrats than the survival of the Jewish state

In 2008, then presidential candidate Barack Obama told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) policy conference that “Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel and it must remain undivided.” But in July of this year, the White House declared that “It’s the view of this administration that the capital should be determined in final status negotiations between parties,” i.e. Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel.

Despite his promises of unwavering support for the Jewish state and its security, Obama has treated the Israeli government with hostility and scorn like no other American president has since Israel’s birth in 1948.

Obama has consistently demanded concessions from Israel in any peace negotiations with the Palestinians, while refusing to ask for any concessions from the Palestinians. He has declared that the West Bank settlements - home to 500,000 Israelis – are illegal. He has said that the ’67 borders should be the starting point for any peace negotiations with the Palestinians, borders that would make it impossible for Israel to defend itself against attacking Arab armies.

And Obama has personally treated Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu as though he were the Head-of-State of one of our enemies rather than the leader of a state closely allied with America because Netanyahu's vision of a secure Israel is far different from the president's pro-Palestinian positions.

So it’s no wonder that Israel was not mentioned in the Democratic party platform. That omission is merely a reflection of Obama’s disdain for Israel.

REPUBLICANS BLAST DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM FOR DISMISSING ISRAEL
By Martin Gould

Newsmax
September 4, 2012

Republicans on Tuesday were quick to jump on the Democrats’ 2012 platform for dropping calls for the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and for putting more emphasis on climate change than the economy.

Backing for gay marriage, abortion rights and the closure of the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay were also seen as easy targets for the GOP, which believes the platform could rebound on President Barack Obama at the ballot box.

George W. Bush’s White House press secretary Ari Fleischer made it clear he could not understand the Democrats’ decision to abandon the commitment to Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. “Given O’s troubles w Israel and Jewish vote, why on earth did Ds drop Jerusalem as capital from their platform?” he tweeted.

The Republican Jewish Coalition went further, calling the platform “the most radically unsupportive statement of policy on Israel by a major U.S, party since (its) founding,” in a tweet.

In 2008, the Democratic platform included the words “Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of Israel,” saying “It should remain an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths,” but the city does not even rate a mention this time around. The platform merely says that the Democrats have “an unshakeable commitment to Israel’s security” and will do everything it can to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons.

Conservative commentator Jennifer Rubin, writing in her Washington Post column said there is even more missing this year. “In 2008, Obama committed 'to isolate Hamas until it renounces terrorism, recognizes Israel’s right to exist, and abides by past agreements.' That language is gone in the 2012 platform,” she wrote.

The Republican National Committee pointed out the differences between the tone of the Democratic platform and its own. “'Obama' is mentioned once in the Republican platform, ‘but ‘Romney’ is mentioned 22 times in the Democrat platform,” it tweeted.

The RNC also drew attention to the fact that the platform makes no mention of health care premiums, nor does it make reference to balancing the budget.

“Democrat Party Platform mentions ‘climate change’ 18 times. Deficit (only) 9 times” the RNC also tweeted.

The Democrats start their national convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday and are expected to vote to adopt the platform on the first day. As expected it calls for higher taxes for the wealthy as well as backing Obama’s call for the legalization of same-sex marriage and support for abortion rights.