
This is the gift that just keeps on giving.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The president of a top Arab American group is lashing out at the 11th hour political maneuvering that restored language about Israel capital to the Democratic convention platform — calling the move “insulting to my community.”
Dr. James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, a DNC delegate and a member of the convention’s platform committee, blasted the re-insertion of language affirming that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel in an interview with POLITICO.
“I think it was embarrassing,” Zogby said. “What bothers me is the way it was done.”
Democrats had initially dropped some language dating to 2008 about Jerusalem in their 2012 platform — but restored it on a quick voice vote Wednesday.
While two-thirds of the delegates were required to vote in the affirmative, there was significant opposition on the floor to the resolution — which also restored the word God to the platform. The DNC held the voice vote three times, before declaring it passed without a roll call. That news was met with boos from delegates across the convention hall.
Zogby said about his Arab American constituency: “They’re upset. They’re upset with me. They’re upset with us. They’re upset with the president.”
