Jerusalem in US Politics

Obama’s remarks appalled Palestinians, who see East Jerusalem as part of a future Palestinian state. Later, softening his stance, he told US broadcast network CNN that the Israelis and Palestinians had to negotiate over the future of the city. “Well, obviously, it’s going to be up to the parties to negotiate a range of these issues, and Jerusalem will be part of those negotiations.” He went on to say that dividing Jerusalem “would be very difficult to execute…And I think that it is smart for us to, to work through a system in which everybody has access to the extraordinary religious sites in Old Jerusalem, but that Israel has a legitimate claim on that city.”

Daniel Kurtzer www.flickr.com Sen. Obama's Middle East adviser Daniel Kurtzer has also stressed, “Jerusalem must be included in any negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. It will be impossible to make progress on serious peace talks without putting the future of Jerusalem on the table.” However, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas [Abu Mazen]responded, “We will not accept an independent Palestinian state without having Jerusalem as the capital.” Mahmoud Abbas Photo by Isranet

Also speaking at the AIPAC convention, Republican presidential hopeful John McCain made remarks about the Holocaust and United States support of Israel: “When we join in saying, ‘never again,’ this is not a wish, a request, or a plea to the enemies of Israel. It is a promise that the United States and Israel will honor, against any enemy who cares to test us.”