August 6, 2012

WASHINGTON (JTA) — A Mitt Romney campaign ad criticizes President Obama for not visiting Israel during his presidency and refusing to call Jerusalem the capital of Israel.

The 30-second television ad rolled out Sunday, which features American and Israeli flags and Romney at the Western Wall, is titled “Cherished Values” and begins with the question, “Who shares your values?”

“As president, Barack Obama has never visited Israel and refuses to recognize Jerusalem as its capital,” says the ad for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. “Mitt Romney will be a different kind of president – a strong leader who stands by our allies. He knows America holds a deep and cherished relationship with Israel.”

Obama visited Israel during the 2008 campaign. President George W. Bush did not visit Israel until his second term.

The ad comes on the heels of Romney’s recent trip to Israel and concludes with Romney noting, “It’s a deeply moving experience to be in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel.”

Obama’s staff has pointed to the frequent sharing of information between Israel and the United States and the millions allocated by his administration for the defensive missile program Iron Dome and other weapons systems in showing his support for Israel.

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