Obama strikes out “Israel” from transcript of his Peres eulogy

US President Barack Obama’s coming for the funeral of Shimon Peres on Friday, Sept. 30 and his empathetic speech of tribute were well received in Israel. Not so his action shortly after he returned home. The White House issued a correction removing “Israel” from the transcript. Whereas he said in his speech that he was speaking at Mount Herzl, in Jerusalem, Israel, the word “Israel” was deleted because, “The status of Jerusalem should be resolved in final-status negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.”

Both Republican and Democratic parties have recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Former presidents from both parties have promised to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem but never made good on the pledge.