No beef with Jerusalem passport ruling, Rivlin tells US military head

President Reuven Rivlin told the US’s top general Wednesday that Israel respects a ruling by the US Supreme Court earlier this week that said Jerusalem-born Americans cannot list Israel as their birthplace on passports.

Rivlin told Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey that since Israel “salutes” the rule of law, it didn’t object to the Supreme Court justices’ decision to uphold the State Department’s right to not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

“Of course we have no criticism of the decision of the Supreme Court in Washington,” he said during an official meeting at the presidential residence in Jerusalem. “They ruled what they had to rule.”

While not directly addressing the controversial ruling further, Rivlin emphasized to the US general that although he was born in a pre-Israel Jerusalem, it did not affect his identity as an Israeli.

“I would like only to mention that I am a Jerusalemite and even though I was born nine years before the State of Israel was established, I was born in Jerusalem and I am Israeli,” he said.

Dempsey, who arrived in Israel on Monday on his sixth and final official visit to Israel, reassured the president that security ties between the two allies would remain strong.

“I am happy to back in Israel. I am here to gain a better understanding with our counterparts in the IDF, of the threats and security challenges, and of what we can do to address them,” he said.

Dempsey said close military cooperation between Israel and the US was “necessary” in order to combat shared the security challenges facing both countries.

“You have our deep commitment to continue to build on that relationship, but you don’t have to thank me, this is something we are honored to be part of,” Dempsey said.

On Tuesday, Dempsey assured Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon that Washington would ensure that Israel maintained its “qualitative military edge” over its potential adversaries in the region

He told reporters that Israeli officials expressed concerns over increased US military assistance to Gulf states as a bulwark against Iran.

Rivlin cautioned Dempsey that Iran and the ongoing fighting in Syria posed “a very real threat to the citizens of Israel – Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike.”

He said the doctrine of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” that has dictated a number of Israeli policies regarding the country’s Arab Muslim neighbors was quickly changing in light of regional turmoil.

“We are proud to have you as a friend. We salute and appreciate you, and your friendship will be well remembered,” Rivlin said.