In Middle East diplomacy, even the smallest errors can carry weight.
Mindful of the careful balance, the White House clarified an official transcript Friday of President Barack Obama’s remarks at Shimon Peres’ funeral that listed his location as “Jerusalem, Israel.”
Official US policy has left the status of Jerusalem for final peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians, who both claim the city. In earlier advisories and press releases about Obama’s last-minute trip to the country, “Jerusalem” was written without a country after the city’s name.
The initial transcript of Obama’s remarks, which listed “Jerusalem, Israel,” was sent Friday morning, shortly after Obama departed Tel Aviv after his six-hour visit. On Friday afternoon, a version labeled “corrected” was sent with the word “Israel” struck through with a line.
The oversight was an unfortunate blip during an otherwise outsized display of personal diplomacy in Israel. Obama made the rare decision to fly 10 hours for Peres’ funeral based on his deep personal affection for the former Israeli president, who dedicated much of his life attempting to foster peace in his country.
