The U.S. government has never recognized Israel sovereignty over any part of Jerusalem. As a reflection of this, the State Department refuses to record the place of birth of Jerusalem-born Americans as Israel. But in 2002, Congress passed a law directing that "for purposes of the registration of birth, certification of nationality, or issuance of a passport of a United States citizen born in the city of Jerusalem, the Secretary [of State] shall, upon the request of the citizen or the citizen's legal guardian, record the place of birth as Israel." Menachem Zivotofsky was born to American parents in Jerusalem later that year. When his parents requested, in accordance with the law, that their son's place of birth be recorded as Israel, the State Department refused to comply, and his parents went to court. The case, which hinges on issues of constitutional import, has worked its way up to the Supreme Court, and now awaits a final decision. Is the "place of birth" field on a passport a political or administrative issue? If it is administrative, what right does the international politics of the Arab-Israeli conflict have to insert itself into that field- Where does presidential power end and congressional power begin- If the court rules in Zivotofsky's favor, what implications will that decision have- Watch as Israel Hayom editor Steve Ganot discusses the Zivotofsky vs. Kerry case with Israeli-American lawyer Marc Tobin. Camera: Doron Persaud. Archive: Reuters. Makeup: Hagar Nahmias.
