Romney causes outrage with racist comments inferring Israeli superiority to Palestinians
Israel's economic success compared to its Palestinian neighbours was due in part to "the hand of providence", Mitt Romney told a $25,000-a-head fundraising event in Jerusalem on Monday.
"And as I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognise the power of at least culture and a few other things," the presumptive Republican candidate told his audience. He cited a climate of innovation, the Jewish history of thriving in adversity and the "hand of providence"....
...Romney drew a comparison between Israel's economic success and the Palestinians'. "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," he said.
In fact, according to the World Bank, 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.
Romney did not visit the West Bank during his brief visit, although he met the Palestinian prime minister, Salam Fayyad, in Jerusalem.
The Palestinian official Saeb Erekat condemned Romney's comments. "What is this man doing here? Yesterday, he destroyed negotiations by saying Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, and today he is saying Israeli culture is more advanced than Palestinian culture. Isn't this racism? Israelis and Palestinians have a conflict, but they are people, they are equal, it is not a better culture or advanced culture.
"It's Israeli occupiers and Palestinians under occupation, and that's why Palestinians cannot realise their potential," he said. more
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