http://www.israpundit.com/archives/48823
Pro-Israel Language Removed From Democratic Party Platform
I can understand Obama doing this but to have the Democratic Party with
all its Jews and Jewish money sign on is beyond belief. The only question
remaining is how is Obama going to try to force Israel to comply? Ted Belman
Emergency Committee for Israel
2012 DNC platform deletes passages on Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, and
Hamas
BY: Washington Free Beacon Staff
September 4, 2012 11:27 am
Several pro-Israel sections of the 2008 Democratic Party platform have been
removed from the 2012 platform-on Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, and
Hamas. The new platform represents another shift by the Obama Democrats
toward the Palestinian position on key issues in the peace process.
For Jerusalem, the new platform has been brought into line with the Obama
administration's policy of not recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and
supporting its division. Jerusalem is unmentioned in the 2012 document,
whereas the 2008 and 2004 Democratic Party platforms declared "Jerusalem is
and will remain the capital of Israel.It should remain an undivided city
accessible to people of all faiths." The Obama administration's refusal to
recognize Jerusalem has been a point of significant controversy in recent
months.
On the issue of Palestinian refugees, the new document has removed language
from the 2004 and 2008 platforms specifying that Palestinian "refugees"
should be settled in a future Palestinian state, not in Israel.
The 2004 platform: "The creation of a Palestinian state should resolve the
issue of Palestinian refugees by allowing them to settle there, rather than
in Israel."
The 2008 platform: The peace process "should resolve the issue of
Palestinian refugees by allowing them to settle there, rather than in
Israel."
The 2012 platform contains no language on the matter.
Previously, Obama has incorporated the Palestinian positions on Jerusalem
and borders into his administration's policies. It appears that with his
party's new platform, he is also doing so with refugees.
Gone as well is the language from 2008 on the terrorist group Hamas, which
currently controls the Gaza Strip. That platform declared, "The United
States and its Quartet partners should continue to isolate Hamas until it
renounces terrorism, recognizes Israel's right to exist, and abides by past
agreements."
The 2012 platform contains no mention of Hamas.
Previous platforms also contained promises to maintain Israel's "qualitative
military edge" in the region. The 2008 platform, for example, spoke of a
"commitment which requires us to ensure that Israel retains a qualitative
edge for its national security and its right to self-defense." The 2012
platform mentions only that "[t]he administration has also worked to ensure
Israel's qualitative military edge in the region," with no commitment to
doing so in the future.