The reading from the Letter of Ezekiel describes a Jerusalem in which an angel brings the prophet “back to the entrance of the temple,” while Jesus reminds the people of Jerusalem in this Sunday’s gospel that he is the living temple. The parents of an American child born in Jerusalem want his passport to say he was born in Israel. Long-standing U.S. foreign policy has been to maintain strict neutrality over the disputed status of Jerusalem.

Under U.S. policy, the passport of a citizen born in the city shows the place of birth simply as “Jerusalem,” with no mention of Israel or Palestine. In 2002, Congress sought to change that, in part by passing a law that gives the parents of U.S. citizens born in Jerusalem the option of having the place of birth listed as “Israel.”

The provision was part of a bill designed to encourage the U.S. government to jettison its neutral policy and recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Shortly after the law was enacted, Menachem Zivotofsky was born in Jerusalem to American parents. When they applied for a passport for their son, they asked that it reflect the place of birth as “Israel.”

Consular officials denied the request, listing “Jerusalem” instead. The Zivotofskys sued, arguing that the executive branch of government was ignoring a valid law passed by the legislature.

Now the issue is before the Supreme Court, where the justices must decide whether Congress was operating within the scope of its constitutional authority or interfering in the president’s exclusive power to recognize foreign governments and speak with a single voice in foreign affairs.

“The question of the status of Jerusalem is the most vexing and volatile and difficult diplomatic issue that this nation has faced for decades,” U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli told the justices during the hour-long argument. He warned that if the court upheld the law, it would sharply undercut the credibility of the president and of the ability of American diplomats to serve as honest brokers in Mideast peace efforts.

In urging the justices to uphold the statute, Washington appellate lawyer Alyza Lewin said the passport requirement does not amount to a formal recognition of sovereignty over Jerusalem by Israel. “What goes on a passport as a place of birth is not tantamount to recognizing foreign sovereignty,” she said.

Justice Elena Kagan suggested that the U.S. government would not allow the parents of a citizen born in Northern Ireland to list “Ireland” as the place of birth even though that might be their preference. “This is a very selective vanity plate law,” she said, comparing the passport issue to drivers seeking to display messages on their car registration tags.

Homily hint: Some have suggested the solution to conflicts over Jerusalem is to declare the entire city a world heritage site since it is revered by followers of all the “religions of Abraham”—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Let us all live in peace with the city of peace.

Source: An article by Warren Richey for Christian Science Monitor