Mitt Romney caused a stir in Jerusalem by suggesting Israel\u2019s economic superiority over the Palestinian territories was a product of \u201cculture\u201d and \u201cprovidence,\u201d but the Republican candidate insists that he was misunderstood.<\/p>\n
FOX News\u2019s Carl Cameron grilled Romney on his remarks, which top Palestinian officials immediately denounced as \u201cracist,\u201d in an interview from Poland on Tuesday. The Obama campaign also accused Romney of needlessly inflaming tensions in the region.<\/p>\n
Romney responded that he \u201cdid not speak about the Palestinian culture or the decisions made in their economy,\u201d while adding broadly that a nation\u2019s \u201cchoices\u201d affect their outcomes.<\/p>\n
…<\/p>\n
Romney\u2019s insistence that he was not addressing Palestinian culture seems at odds with his lengthy and detailed speech at a fundraiser in which he offered up a direct comparison between the per capita GDP of Israel and the Palestinian territories before launching into an explanation of why he thinks culture and perhaps a little divine help are so important to the stronger Israeli economy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was thinking this morning as I prepared to come into this room of a discussion I had across the country in the United States about my perceptions about differences between countries,\u201d Romney said at the time. \u201cAs 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
…<\/p>\n
\u201cCulture makes all the difference,\u201d Romney said. \u201cAnd 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.\u201d One of the additional factors he cited was \u201cthe hand of providence.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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