JERUSALEM
(AP) -- Mitt Romney told Jewish donors Monday that their culture is part
of what has allowed them to be more economically successful than the
Palestinians, outraging Palestinian leaders who suggested his comments
were racist and out of touch with the realities of the Middle East. His
campaign later said his remarks were mischaracterized.
"As
you come here and you see the GDP per capita, for instance, in Israel
which is about $21,000 dollars, and compare that with the GDP per capita
just across the areas managed by the Palestinian Authority, which is
more like $10,000 per capita, you notice such a dramatically stark
difference in economic vitality," the Republican presidential candidate
told about 40 wealthy donors who ate breakfast at the luxurious King
David Hotel.
Romney said some economic histories have theorized that "culture makes all the difference."
"And
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 said, citing an
innovative business climate, the Jewish history of thriving in difficult
circumstances and the "hand of providence." He said similar disparity
exists between neighboring countries, like Mexico and the United States.
The reaction of Palestinian leaders to Romney's comments was swift and pointed.
"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," said Saeb Erekat, a senior aide to Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas.
"It seems to me this man lacks
information, knowledge, vision and understanding of this region and its
people," Erekat added. "He also lacks knowledge about the Israelis
themselves. I have not heard any Israeli official speak about cultural
superiority."
As criticism mounted while
Romney traveled to Poland, campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said: "His
comments were grossly mischaracterized." The Republican's campaign
contends Romney's comparison of countries that are close to each other
and have wide income disparities - the U.S. and Mexico, Chile and
Ecuador - shows his comments were broader than just the comparison
between Israel and Palestine.
The economic
disparity between the Israelis and the Palestinians is actually much
greater than Romney stated. Israel had a per capita gross domestic
product of about $31,000 in 2011, while the West Bank and Gaza had a per
capita GDP of just over $1,500, according to the World Bank.
Romney,
seated next to billionaire casino owner Sheldon Adelson at the head of
the table, told donors at his fundraiser that he had read books and
relied on his own business experience to understand why the difference
is so great.
His comparison of the two
economies did not take into account the stifling effect the Israeli
occupation has had on the Palestinian economy in the West Bank, Gaza
Strip and east Jerusalem - areas Israel captured in 1967 where the
Palestinians hope to establish a state.
In the
West Bank, Palestinians have only limited self-rule. Israel controls
all border crossings in and out of the territory, and continues to
restrict Palestinian trade and movement. Israel annexed east Jerusalem
in 1967, but has invested much less heavily there than in Jewish west
Jerusalem.
And although Israel withdrew from
the Gaza Strip in 2005, it continues to control access and has enforced a
crippling border blockade since the Islamic militant Hamas seized the
territory in 2007.
It's true that Israel has
logged tremendous achievements, said Abraham Diskin, a political science
professor at the Inter-Disciplinary Center outside of Tel Aviv. But
"you can understand this remark in several ways," he added. "You can say
it's anti-Semitic. `Jews and money.'"
The
World Bank and the International Monetary Fund repeatedly have said that
the Palestinian economy can only grow if Israel lifts those
restrictions.
"It's Israeli occupiers and
Palestinians under occupation, and that's why Palestinians cannot
realize their potential," Erekat said.
The
breakfast with top donors - including Adelson, New York Jets owner Woody
Johnson and hedge fund manager Paul Singer - concluded Romney's visit
to Israel, the second leg of a three-nation overseas tour designed to
bolster the his foreign policy credentials.
Standing
on Israeli soil for the first time as the GOP's presumptive
presidential nominee, Romney on Sunday declared Jerusalem to be the
capital of the Jewish state and said the United States has promised
never to "look away from our passion and commitment to Israel."
The status of Jerusalem is a critical issue in peace talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
During
his visit to Israel, Romney did not meet with Abbas or visit the West
Bank. He held a brief meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam
Fayyad.
Romney's campaign says the trip, which
began in England last week, is aimed at improving the former
Massachusetts governor's foreign policy experience through a series of
meetings with foreign leaders. The candidate has largely avoided direct
criticism of U.S. President Barack Obama while on foreign soil.
The
Jerusalem fundraiser, however, was a political event that raised more
than $1 million for Romney's campaign. It marks at least the second
finance event during his tour. The first, in London, attracted about 250
people to a $2,500-per-person fundraiser.
Both
presidential candidates have aggressively courted American donors
living abroad, a practice that is legal and has been used for decades.
Romney's
declaration that Jerusalem is Israel's capital was in keeping with
claims made by Israeli governments for decades, even though the United
States, like other nations, maintains its embassy in Tel Aviv.
His
remarks on the subject during a speech drew a standing ovation from the
audience, which included Adelson, the American businessman who has
promised to donate more than $100 million to help defeat Obama.
Adelson
was among a several donors who flew to Israel for a day of sightseeing
with Romney in addition to private meetings with top Israeli officials.
A
group of donors also met with a top aide to Israeli President Benjamin
Netanyahu, one donor said on the condition of anonymity to discuss
private meetings.
Romney met with Netanyahu
and other leaders before his speech Sunday. He also visited the Western
Wall, Judaism's holiest site, where he was mobbed by worshippers.
In
his remarks, Romney steered clear of overt criticism of Obama, even
though he said the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran "has only become
worse" in the past five years.
Romney flew to
the Middle East from Britain, where he caused a stir by questioning
whether officials there were fully prepared for the Olympic Games. A
stop in Poland will complete his trip.
Four
years ago, Obama visited Israel as a presidential candidate, part of a
five-nation trip meant to establish his own foreign policy credentials.
A
goal of Romney's overseas trip is to demonstrate his confidence on the
world stage, but the stop in Israel also was designed to appeal to
evangelical voters at home and cut into Obama's support among Jewish
voters and donors. A Gallup survey of Jewish voters released Friday
showed Obama with a 68-25 edge over Romney.
Romney and other Republicans have said Obama is insufficiently supportive of Israel.
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