If I were to ask you to name the capital of Israel, you probably wouldn't hesitate and say Jerusalem, right? Israel says its capital is Jerusalem.
But not the United States State Department. State has altered an official communication to erase the fact that it had referred to Israel and Jerusalem as separate entities.
The release now says: "Acting secretary Kathleen Stephens travels to Algeria, Qatar, Jerusalem and Israel."
This is subtle, but the effect is to label Jerusalem and Israel as separate entities. It's been a long-standing policy of the U.S. not to recognize Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel. What if Israel refused to recognize Washington as the official capital of America and said it should revert to the British? Does our government really believe refusing to recognize Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel will pacify Arabs and Muslims? What other rationale could there be for such a position?
Apparently so, to their and our ultimate detriment.
I'm Cal Thomas in Washington.
Publication date: April 2, 2012
