Letter from Ruth Matar (Women in Green) Jerusalem
Thursday, June 21, 2007
The affirmative answer seems obvious to most of us. However, many worldwide organizations vociferously disagree. Even some governments, and not only those of Arab Moslem countries, do not acknowledge that Jerusalem is Israel’s one and only capital.
In an Arutz Sheva News article, published on June 15, 2007, Ze’ev Orenstein writes about the worldwide failure to accept Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital.
****
BBC REJECTS JERUSALEM AS CAPITAL OF ISRAEL
The reference to Jerusalem that drew the complaints occurred on March 24th, when a presenter on BBC’s Football Focus program mentioned that Jerusalem was, in fact, the capital of Israel, as well as her “historic soul.”
The BBC’s Editorial Complaints Unit issued an official response to the complaint, stating, “The reference was a passing one in a context where the focus was on sport, not politics. While recognizing the sensitivity of the issue of the status of Jerusalem, the ECU took the view that the program-makers had taken sufficient action by acknowledging the error and rectifying the website.”
The BBC took an additional step in their efforts to appease the four Muslim-British organizations that issued the complaints. Fraser Steel, head of editorial complaints at the BBC, sent each organization a letter in which he stated: “We, of course, accept that the international community does not recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and that the BBC should not describe it as such. I was therefore pleased to see that Katherine Tsang [BBC Information adviser], when she wrote to you in April, acknowledged the error and apologized for it. [Presenter] Steve Boulton and other senior managers in BBC Sport told us they very much regret the mistake and apologize for it.”
“Senior managers will try to ensure, as you suggest, that the mistake is not repeated. Because it appears on the website, there will be a public acknowledgement of the error, and the action taken in consequence.”
Steel added: “I’d like to add my apologies for this most regrettable, but I’m sure accidental, factual mistake. I appreciate that the status of Jerusalem is of particular concern to Palestinians, and it is important that it is not misrepresented. I am confident that lessons have already been learned, and they will be emphasized as a result of my decision.”
The apology over the reference to Jerusalem being the capital of the Israel is, in fact, consistent with BBC policy. Under the heading, ‘Israel and the Palestinians: Key Terms’, the BBC outlines its official position towards Jerusalem: “The status of Jerusalem is one of the most sensitive and complex issues of the entire Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Its status is dependent on a final agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians. Between 1949 and 1967, the city was divided into Israeli-controlled West Jerusalem, and Jordanian-controlled East Jerusalem. Israel currently claims sovereignty over the entire city, and claims it as its capital, after capturing East Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 war. That claim is not recognized internationally and East Jerusalem is considered to be occupied territory.”
VISA CREDIT CARD COMPANY REJECTS ISRAEL’S CLAIM TO JERUSALEM
The BBC is not the only one who has recently called into question the status of Jerusalem serving as the capital of the State of Israel.
Recently, a Visa credit card customer noticed that his bill listed items he bought in Jerusalem’s Old City as purchases made outside the country of Israel.
The customer, whom the Hebrew newspaper Ma’ariv identified as “A,” said the credit card company told him that according to its list, the store in the Old City is located in “Palestine” and not in Israel.
A company executive stated, “The firm has no control over definitions in Visa’s international system.”
JERUSALEM NO LONGER HOME TO WORLD’S EMBASSIES
Late in 2006, both Costa Rica and El Salvador relocated their embassies from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. The move was considered significant, as, with the move, there are no longer any countries whose official embassies are located in the nation’s capital.
Traditionally, an embassy is located in the capital city of the host country.
EVEN THE UNITED STATES HAS NOT YET ESTABLISHED ITS EMBASSY IN JERUSALEM
On October 23, 1995, Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act into United States law. The Jerusalem Embassy Act states, “Each sovereign nation, under international law and custom, may designate its own capital. Since 1950, the city of Jerusalem has been the capital of the State of Israel… Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel; and the United States Embassy in Israel should be established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999.
However, within the Jerusalem Embassy Act there is a provision that enables the President of the United States to issue a presidential waiver, delaying the move of the United States embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, “if he determines and reports to Congress in advance that such suspension is necessary to protect the national security interests of the United States.”
Since the passing of the Jerusalem Embassy Act, each U.S. President, Bill Clinton and George Bush has taken advantage of this provision every six months.
Despite failing to implement the Jerusalem Embassy Act, United States President George Bush stated that, “My Administration remains committed to beginning the process of moving our embassy to Jerusalem.”
****
THEY WERE ALL INVITED TO THE PARTY, BUT NOBODY CAME!
May 13, 2007
http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Diplomacy/11352.htm
Ambassadors from both the US and the EU have declined Israel’s invitation to its celebrations this week commemorating the 40th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem.
The German ambassador to Israel, Dr. Harald Kindermann, spoke for all EU countries when he declined the invitation, citing the controversial status of Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital.
“We believe that Jerusalem’s future should be part of the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians,” German Embassy sources told Ynetnews Sunday. “Our point of view is not new and Germany must take this stance in accordance with the rest of the countries.”
“We cannot force other European Union countries to accept our opinion, but we can definitely decide for ourselves. Germany cannot take part in an official event of the Israeli government, if this implies that we recognize these borders of Jerusalem,” the sources stated.
Shortly after Germany’s rejection, it was reported by Israel Radio that the US ambassador to Israel, Richard Jones, would follow suit. Sources close to the ambassador said he would not be attending the Monday Jerusalem Day ceremony at the Knesset, though it is not known if the ambassadors decision was due to political reasons.
Jerusalem’s mayor, Uri Lupolianski, was infuriated by the boycott, and slammed the ambassadors’ decision.
“Anyone who doesn’t recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Israel does not recognize the state of Israel,” he said in a statement.
“Israel is the only country in the world that allows other countries to boycott its capital and not [locate] their embassies in the city,” he said.
The Foreign Ministery expressed regret over the boycott but still expected many attendees.
“Jerusalem is Israel’s united capital. This week we will mark 40 years of reunification. Many guests were invited to take part in the events, including diplomats. We expect them to attend,” said the Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson.
Despite Jerusalem being Israel’s capital, no foreign embassy’s reside in the city, and are instead located in Tel Aviv, due to Jerusalem’s disputed status as capital.
The city was reunited, with the inclusion of East Jerusalem, where the Old City is located, as a result of the 1967 Six-Day War, and the reunification is celebrated each year on Jerusalem Day.
****
Dear Friends,
As an American Citizen, I am very disappointed in President Bush. He voices support for Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, but continues to take advantage of the provision of the Jerusalem Embassy Act, which enables the President of the United States to issue a presidential waiver, delaying the move of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The act states that the President can do this “IF THIS IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES”. (The U.S. Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act into United States law on October 23, 1995, TWELVE YEARS AGO!)
As quoted above, George Bush has stated that, “My Administration remains committed to beginning the process of moving our embassy to Jerusalem.”
Dear President Bush,
What National Security interests of the United States prevent you from moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem? Could you enlighten us as to what exactly prevents you from fulfilling your promise?
Dear fellow Americans,
E-mail, telephone, fax and write President Bush, and demand that he fulfill his promises, before he goes down in history as the President who personally prevented America’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
With Blessings and Love for Israel,
Ruth Matar
P.S. For your information:
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washingdon DC 20500
USA
E-mail: comments@whitehouse.gov
Fax: 202-456-2461
Phone numbers:
Office of President Bush: 202-456-1414
US Capital Switchboard: 202-224-3121
White House Chief of Staff, Andrew H. Card, Jr.: 202-456-6798
=============================================
Women For Israel’s Tomorrow (Women in Green)
POB 7352, Jerusalem 91072, Israel
Tel: 972-2-624-9887 Fax: 972-2-624-5380
mailto:wfit2@womeningreen.org
http://www.womeningreen.org
To make a contribution via our secure server or through Paypal, go to: https://host5.apollohosting.com/womeningreen/funds/donation/donation.html
To subscribe to the Women in Green list,
please send a blank email message to:
list4-subscribe@womeningreen.org
Check your spam filter for confirmation to reply to
To unsubscribe from the Women in Green list,
please send a blank email message to:
list4-unsubscribe@womeningreen.org