Jerusalem, Trump & Media Bias
President Trump made a campaign promise to establish the U.S. Embassy in Israel. Recently, he declared that the U.S. would do just that.
As you may know, in 1995, President Bill Clinton signed the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995. It is U.S. law. Not a policy. LAW. Here it is:
“Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 – Declares it to be U.S. policy that: (1) Jerusalem remain an undivided city in which the rights of every ethnic religious group are protected; (2) Jerusalem be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel; and (3) the U.S. Embassy in Israel be established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999.”
In June of this year, the Senate voted 90 – 0 on a resolution that “reaffirms the Jerusalem Embassy Act” — the law mandating the relocation — and explicitly “calls upon the President and all United States officials to abide by its provisions.”
Now read these media headlines:
SACBEE/AP: Trump declares Jerusalem Israeli capital, smashing US policy
CBS/AP: Defending Trump’s Jerusalem Is A Lonely Role For Tillerson
NBC: Middle East on edge after Trump’s ‘dangerous’ Jerusalem move
ABC: Fallout from Trump’s Jerusalem decision could be dangerous, experts warn
NY Times: Nearly Every Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Disagrees With Trump’s Jerusalem Decision
Huffington Post: Jerusalem Is Just The Latest Example Of Trump’s Nonsensical Foreign Policy
The Independent: Trump ‘didn’t seem to have a full understanding’ of his decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
The Economist: The recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is reckless
There were other articles posted by those news organizations less critical. However, when you read each of those articles above, you will note that NONE of them mention the 1995 law nor the June Senate vote.
And THAT is the state of the American Media. Oh, and they failed to mention the Democrat support for it below.
Democrats (Once) Supported Jerusalem As The Capital of Israel
In 2008, Senator Barack Obama: “Jerusalem Will Remain The Capital Of Israel, And It Must Remain Undivided.” “The morning after claiming the Democratic nomination, Senator Barack Obama to skeptical members of a pro-Israel lobby and made a pledge that some of them found pleasantly surprising: ‘Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided.’” (Larry Rohter, “Obama’s Comments On Israel Stir Criticism in U.S.,” The New York Times, 06/07/08)
In 2012, President Obama Directed The Democratic Party To Restore Language From The 2008 DNC Platform Declaring Jerusalem The Capital Of Israel. (The New York Times, 09/05/12)
President Bill Clinton: An Undivided Jerusalem Was “Israel’s Eternal Capital.” “Clinton, who, as a presidential candidate declared that an undivided Jerusalem was ‘Israel’s eternal capital,’ officially invoked that clause last week. To justify the legally required national-security threat, he claimed that moving the embassy now might subject U.S. diplomatic personnel to terrorist attacks.” (“Clinton’s Jerusalem Cop-Out,” The New York Post, 06/22/99)
Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) In 2008 Policy Paper Called For “An Undivided Jerusalem” As The Capital Of Israel. “Clinton was elected to the Senate in 2000 and struck a tone that was in sync with the Bush administration, which had aligned itself with the Israeli right. In 2007, she went further than the administration when she released a position paper calling for ‘an undivided Jerusalem’ as the capital of Israel. In 2008, as a presidential candidate, she warned Tehran that America would ‘totally obliterate’ Iran if it attacked Israel.” (Jason Horowitz, “Can Liberal Zionists Count On Hillary Clinton?” The New York Times, 12/17/14)
Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Was An Original Cosponsor Of H.Con.Res.60 Calling Upon The President And The Secretary Of State To “Affirm Publicly As A Matter Of U.S. Policy That Jerusalem Must Remain The Undivided Capital Of Israel. Urges U.S. Officials To Refrain From Any Actions That Contradict This Policy.” (H.Con.Res.60, Roll Call Vote 176, Passed 406-17-11, 6/10/1997)
Minority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY): “As Someone Who Strongly Believes That Jerusalem Is The Undivided Capital Of Israel, I Am Calling For The U.S. Embassy In Israel To Be Relocated To Jerusalem.” (Press Release, “Schumer Calls For U.S. Embassy In Israel To Be Moved To Jerusalem; Senator Says We Have Waited Too Long; Urges Action To Make Clear The U.S. Commitment To Move Embassy,” Sen. Chuck Schumer, 10/10/17)
In 1995, Rep. Schumer Stated “It Was Embarassing” To Have To Go To Tel Aviv To Reach The U.S. Embassy And That It Is A Sovereign Nation’s Right To Choose Their Own Capital And That “It Is About Time The United States Went Along” And Recognized That. (Rep. Chuck Schumer, Congressional Record, 10/24/95, p. H10683)
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) In 1995: “We Will Send Word That Israel, Like Every Country In The World, Has The Sovereign Right To Designate Its Capital And To Have That Capital Recognized By The Nations Of The World.” (Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Congressional Record, 10/24/95, p. S15520-15521)
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH): “The Democratic National Convention Made The Important Move To Reaffirm Our Belief That Jerusalem Is The Capital Of Israel.” (Press Release, Senator Sherrod Brown Statement Applauding Announcement That Democrats Will Update Party Platform To Include A Reference To Jerusalem Being The Capital Of Israel, Sen. Sherrod Brown, 2012)
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Ben Cardin (D-MD): “Jerusalem Is The Undivided Capital Of The State Of Israel.”(Press Release, “Cardin Calls Uproar Over Construction An Excuse To Delay Negotiations, Urges Abbas To Return To Direct Talks With Israel,” Sen. Ben Cardin, 11/10/10)
Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV): “This Resolution Reaffirms The Unwavering Support For One Of Our Greatest Allies By Recognizing Jerusalem, A United City In Which All Religions Are Respected And Valued, As The Capital Of The State Of Israel.” (Press Release, “Manchin Cosponsors Resolution Recognizing The 50th Anniversary Of The Unification Of Jerusalem,” Sen. Joe Manchin, 06/05/17)
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y) Noted That In 2012 Democrats Were Wrong To Omit Mention Of Jerusalem As Israel’s Capital In The First Draft Of The Party Platform. (Joseph Spector, “Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand: Democrats Wrong To Omit Line About Jerusalem As Israel’s Capital,” The Journal News, 9/06/12)
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT): “Jerusalem Is The Capital Of Israel. Ultimately, I think We Should Have Our Diplomatic Presence There.” (“The 2012 Election: The Race For The Senate,” The Connecticut Jewish Ledger, 8/07/12)
New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo: “Jerusalem Is The Capital Of Israel.” (Jacob Kornbluh, “Cuomo’s Encore In Israel,” Mishpacha, 3/08/17)
Former Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL): “Jerusalem Is And Will Remain The Capital Of Israel.”(Julian Pecquet and Pete Kasperowicz, “After Three Votes, Dems Put Jerusalem, God Back Into Party Platform,” The Hill, 09/05/12)
Then Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D-NJ) In 2012: Jerusalem As Israel’s Capital Is “Not A Controversial Issue.” (David Giambusso, “Booker Downplays Platform Omissions Jerusalem As Isareli Capital Is Reinstated,” The Star-Ledger, 9/07/12)
Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) On Recognizing Jerusalem As Israel’s Capital: “To Do Less Would BeTo Play Into The Hands Of Those Who Would Deny Israel The Full Attributes Of Statehood.” (Helen Dewar, “Congress Approves Move Of U.S. Embassy To Jerusalem By Mid-1999,” The Washington Post, 10/25/99)
