McCain calls for moving U.S. embassy to Jerusalem

[ensho]

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/990903.html


-snip-

"Jerusalem is undivided, Jerusalem is the capital and we should move the embassy to Jerusalem before anything happens," McCain said while campaigning in Miami.

McCain stressed, however, that the "subject of Jerusalem itself will be addressed in negotiations by the Israeli government and people."

-snip-
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[L0oniX]

1. Ah the "human shield".

[Forkboy]

2. A perfectly safe spot for it.

:yoiks:

[dsomuah]

3. It's pandering to the jewish community, and poor foreign policy. I thot he was the experienced one

One of the biggest sore points in the Arab-Israeli crisis is the future status of Jerusalem.

By suggesting moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, McCain is hinting that he intends to push for Jerusalem to be controlled by the Israeli. I don't think it's right for a US president to try and influence the outcome of the mideast peace process before negotiations get underway. A US president should be encouraging the leaders to meet and negotiate, not telling them what the outcome of the negotiations should be.

The only reason why McCain made this suggestion is because he happens to be campaigning in Miami where there is a high jewish population I'm willing to bet that he has no inentions of moving the US embassy, but he will tell the jewish community what they want to hear because he wants to carry Florida in the election.

It's also irresponsible inflammatory talk that could actually stir up violence in the middle east at a time. When Ariel Sharon made similar comments at the Temple Mount, he kicked off the infitada, and since then, we have had serious violence in Israel.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. His Position Is The Same As Obama's

Let me be clear. Israel’s security is sacrosanct. It is non-negotiable. The Palestinians need a state that is contiguous and cohesive, and that allows them to prosper – but any agreement with the Palestinian people must preserve Israel’s identity as a Jewish state, with secure, recognized and defensible borders. Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided

http://www.observer.com/2008/emanuel-endorses-obama-after-aipac-speech

[lumpy]

7. Obama' s statement you quote re. Jerusalem that he made

speech to AIPAC is worrisome, although he revised it sayin that the parties involved should determine the status of Jerusalem. He didn't waste anytime in revising that 'slip of the tongue". Methinks Obama doesn't have all his ideas/plans well thought out.

[lumpy]

8. Obama stated in his AIPAC speech that Jerusalem should

remain (?) the capital of Israel. I guess the only reason he would have to say that is because he is looking for the Jewish vote just like McCain is. I must point out, however that Obama immediately revised his statement (on good advice, I assume) that the status of Jerusalem should be determined by the parties involved. That along with Obama's steadfast pledge of allegience to Israel is disquieting to many progressives who want positive change in Israeli/Palestinian/Iranian relations.

[Igel]

4. It's an odd issue.

On the one hand, most Westerners have no trouble acknowledging that come what may, Israel has a right to part of Jerusalem; so siting the embassy there wouldn't be a problem, but would provoke outcries from those who believe that Israel has no right to any of Jerusalem, or who think that by siting the embassy in the pre-67 Israeli part would somehow support claims to the post-67 'unification' of the city by Israel.

On the other hand, most Westerners might well have a problem, usually citing "final status negotiations"--as though those are expected to change the status of west Jerusalem. Hence the law, as written (from 1995), not only demands that the Secretary of State, every 6 months, provide a report on how the implementation of the law requiring that the US move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is coming along, but also provides for a presidential waiver on the grouns of "national security". Of course, siting the embassy is an Executive decision; the Congress stipulated the move by using the power of the purse.


From The Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, for which McCain, being in Congress at the time, almost certainly voted (it was adopted on October 23, 1995, Senate vote was 93-5 and the House vote was 374-37--most dems voted for it, too):

"(a)Waiver Authority.—(1) Beginning on October 1, 1998, the President may suspend the limitation set forth in section 3(b) for a period of six months if he determines and reports to Congress in advance that such suspension is necessary to protect the national security interests of the United States.
(2)The President may suspend such limitation for an additional six month period at the end of any period during which the suspension is in effect under this subsection if the President determines and reports to Congress in advance of the additional suspension that the additional suspension is necessary to protect the national security interests of the United States.
(3)A report under paragraph (1) or (2)shall include—
(A)a statement of the interests affected by the limitation that the President seeks to suspend; and
(B)a discussion of the manner in which the limitation affects the interests.
(b)Applicability of Waiver to Availability of Funds.—If the President exercises the authority set forth in subsection (a) in a fiscal year, the limitation set forth in section 3(b) shall apply to funds appropriated in the following fiscal year for the purpose set forth in section 3(b)except to the extent that the limitation is suspended in such following fiscal year by reason of the exercise of the authority in subsection (a).

In 2003 a measure passed urging the president to implement the move, but not changing anything.

In other words, all McCain's saying he's doing is to stop certifying that it's not in the security interests of the US to move the embassy. Obama, presumably, would continue to certify that it's not in the US's security interest to move.

[democrattotheend]

5. Presidential candidates always say this

And then when they get into office they cite national security and exercise the waiver to delay recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Obama will probably promise the same thing, and I won't get my hopes up.