Last month, 55 House Republicans sent a letter to President Trump noting that even after the U.S. recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel last December and relocated the Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, American citizens born in Jerusalem are still not permitted to list Israel as their country of birth. They can list only “Jerusalem.” Mr. Trump did not directly respond, but the State Department did.
A spokesman for the Department said, “The president has made clear that the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem remain subject to final-status negotiations between the [Israelis and the Palestinians]. We have not changed our practice regarding place of birth on passports or Consular Reports of Birth Abroad at this time.”
Ten months after the Jerusalem events took place, the President has still not directly addressed this issue. And we also note that last month, at an appearance with Prime Minister Netanyahu in New York, the President seemed to be walking back his statement about not necessarily favoring a two state solution for the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
Without putting too fine a point on it, the President may have something in mind, but maybe it is important to point out that the Palestinians will seize on any and all concessions as signs of weakness and will present a challenge even to a consummate deal-maker like Mr. Donald Trump.