No, You Were Not Born in Jerusalem, Israel

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"On Tuesday, a court struck down a law that allows U.S. citizens born in Jerusalem to list their birthplace as "Israel."

The law, signed in 2002, violated the president's sole authority to determine who controls the ancient city, according to the three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia.

Since Israel was founded in 1948, no U.S. president has said that Israel solely controls Jerusalem—a topic that has been contentious for any peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, as both claim the holy city.

The court confirmed the State Department's concerns, leaving the authority to the president and not Congress, according to Reuters. Since the law was passed, State has refused to enforce the law, given they have authority over U.S. passports. The ruling by the three-judge panel was unanimous.

The case involved the Zivotofsky family, who wanted to list Israel as the country of birth for their son Menachem, who was born in Jerusalem in 2002."

http://news.yahoo.com/no-were-not-born-jerusalem-israel-135414084.html

[oberliner]

1. Has Matt graduated from college yet?

He was a student intern during the 2007 Iowa caucuses so I guess he must have.

[azurnoir]

2. Good there are 3 branches for a reason

and sometimes Congress needs to be checked and balanced

[sabbat hunter]

3. So

Where were they born then?

[Scurrilous]

4. Depends who you ask.

If you ask the US Government they'd just say Jerusalem.


"Those born in Jerusalem now have the city listed rather than the country like other U.S. passports."

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-news/u-s-appeals-court-hears-jerusalem-is-israel-passport-case-1.510736

[aranthus]

5. Just a tad harder than a no brainer.

The only little wrinkle is that Congress does have power over immigration and passports. However, the way Congress used that power so obviously was intended to, and did, interfere in foreign policy that the result could never have been in doubt. Also, the court didn't pass on the wisdom of the policy, only on the right of the President to make the policy.