Why won't Obama recognize Jerusalem the capital?

Answer 1

This is a very touchy issue politically, since Israel believes Jerusalem is its capital, but the Palestinians want the city to be part of their new state. Because the issue has never been resolved, presidents of both parties have basically given it lip service, agreeing verbally that Jerusalem should be the capital of Israel, but never moving the U.S. embassy, which since 1950, has been in Tel Aviv.

And while the Republican party has tried to use this against President Obama, saying he "refuses" to acknowledge Jerusalem, the truth is a bit more complicated: as one fact-checking site noted, "the Republican Party platform has long included a pledge to move the embassy to Jerusalem. But that's never happened, even when a Republican was in the White House." So, as it turns out, President Bush didn't officially recognize Jerusalem either, even though in speeches, he asserted that it was the capital of Israel. President Obama has continued what is a longstanding U.S. policy of avoiding this very sensitive subject.