Roskam unhappy with Jerusalem passport ruling

U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL), co-chair of the House Republican Israel Caucus, expressed his disappointment with the Supreme Court’s ruling on Monday against listing Israel on passports of Americans who were born in Jerusalem.

The parents of 12-year-old Menachem Zivotofsky sued to have his passport list his birthplace as “Jerusalem, Israel.”

“Today’s ruling doesn’t change the fact that it is wrong for this or any administration to punish U.S. citizens born in Jerusalem this way,” Roskam said.

The law, which would have permitted American parents of Jerusalem-born children to receive passports that said the children were born in Israel, was overruled by a 6 to 3 vote.

The Supreme Court’s ruling strengthened the president’s constitutional role of setting the nation’s foreign policy, reiterating the executive office holds the sole power to acknowledge foreign governments.

Israel and Palestine both claim Jerusalem as their capital. The United States’ policy recognizes the city as part of Israel.

“Americans born in Jerusalem should be able to list their birthplace as Israel on their passport,” Roskam said. “It is that simple. Jerusalem is the rightful capital of Israel and historic homeland of the Jewish people.”