The addition of language calling Jerusalem Israel’s capital to the Democratic
platform does not make up for the party’s original intentions, Knesset Speaker
Reuven Rivlin said on Thursday.
“I have no doubt that [US President
Barack] Obama put Jerusalem back in his party’s platform out of political and
electoral considerations and because of the sharp criticism from Israel and the
US,” Rivlin said.
Democrats changed their platform on Wednesday afternoon
to include support for Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, following criticism
from Democratic members of Congress after the language, which was included in
the 2008 platform, was removed from the 2012 text. Some sources said Obama
personally intervened in the matter.
The Knesset speaker said that the
Democratic National Convention did not remove Jerusalem from the platform “by
mistake or because of forgetfulness,” and the change was not a coincidence that
can be explained away by not paying attention.
“This is a problematic
sign, indicating the gradual reduction of the American government’s strategic
commitment to Israel,” he explained.
Before the reinstatement of the
passage supporting Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in the DNC platform, Rivlin
said on Wednesday that the Obama administration does not understand the
realities of the Middle East.
“The fact that the Democrats removed a
united Jerusalem as Israel’s capital from their platform is more worrying than
the argument over Iran,” Rivlin told The Jerusalem Post.