Elliott Abrams, writing in the Wall Street Journal:
Through party platforms, one can trace the history of America’s relationship with Israel. The GOP in 1944 called for “unrestricted immigration” of Jews to Palestine “in accordance with the . . . Balfour Declaration,” while the Democrats supported “the opening of Palestine to unrestricted Jewish immigration and colonization.” …
In the last few elections, the parties’ platforms have not differed vastly when it came to Israel. In 2000, both opposed a unilateral declaration of independence by the Palestinians, pledged to support Israel’s qualitative military edge, and took a pro-Israel line on Jerusalem. “Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and should remain an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths,” the Democrats urged, while the GOP argued that “The United States has a moral and legal obligation to maintain its Embassy and Ambassador in Jerusalem.” …
But on two crucial points the parties now disagree. The first is Jerusalem, which disappeared from the Democratic platform. The Republicans “envision two democratic states—Israel with Jerusalem as its capital and Palestine.” By contrast, the Democrats’ commitment to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel—repeated time after time in past election years—was absent when their platform was first published Monday. (Both parties’ 2012 platforms omitted the embassy issue.)
Every Democratic platform since 1992 has included language about Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Its initial removal this year follows refusals by the White House and State Department to acknowledge that Jerusalem is the Jewish state’s capital. This seems more like a policy change than mere inadvertence.
In the last few elections, the parties’ platforms have not differed vastly when it came to Israel. In 2000, both opposed a unilateral declaration of independence by the Palestinians, pledged to support Israel’s qualitative military edge, and took a pro-Israel line on Jerusalem. “Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and should remain an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths,” the Democrats urged, while the GOP argued that “The United States has a moral and legal obligation to maintain its Embassy and Ambassador in Jerusalem.” …
But on two crucial points the parties now disagree. The first is Jerusalem, which disappeared from the Democratic platform. The Republicans “envision two democratic states—Israel with Jerusalem as its capital and Palestine.” By contrast, the Democrats’ commitment to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel—repeated time after time in past election years—was absent when their platform was first published Monday. (Both parties’ 2012 platforms omitted the embassy issue.)
Every Democratic platform since 1992 has included language about Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Its initial removal this year follows refusals by the White House and State Department to acknowledge that Jerusalem is the Jewish state’s capital. This seems more like a policy change than mere inadvertence.
Whole thing here.
