Romney’s remarks rile Palestinians
WARSAW, Poland – Mitt Romney suggested Monday that Israelis enjoy a better standard of living than neighboring Palestinians because they have a superior culture and enjoy the “hand of providence.” The remarks set off an outcry from Palestinians, one of whom accused Romney of racism.
The brouhaha was the latest turmoil to rock the Republican presidential candidate’s foreign trek, including a controversy in London on the eve of the Olympics and another in Jerusalem.
In the latest, Romney told about 40 donors at a fundraising event in Jerusalem why he thought Israel’s economy is much stronger than that in territories controlled by the Palestinian Authority. Noting that Israel enjoys the same natural resources – or lack of them – as its neighbors, he said there must be another reason Israel stood out.
“If you could learn anything from the economic history of the world, it’s this: Culture makes all the difference,” he said, citing the work of historian David Landes, the author of the book “The Wealth and Poverty of Nations.”
“As I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things,” Romney added. “One, I recognize the hand of providence in selecting this place.
“This is a people that has long recognized the purpose in this place and in their lives that is greater than themselves and their own particular interests, but a purpose of accomplishment and caring and building and serving. There’s also something very unusual about the people of this place.”
Saeb Erekat, a senior aide to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, criticized Romney’s remarks, according to the Associated Press.
“It is a racist statement, and this man doesn’t realize that the Palestinian economy cannot reach its potential because there is an Israeli occupation,” Erekat told the AP. “It seems to me this man lacks information, knowledge, vision and understanding of this region and its people. He also lacks knowledge about the Israelis themselves. I have not heard any Israeli official speak about cultural superiority.”
In London, Romney questioned Great Britain’s preparation for the Summer Olympic Games and drew a rebuke from Prime Minister David Cameron. In Jerusalem, he said Sunday that the city was the capital of Israel, a sensitive point in peace negotiations.