re: #12 Myron Falwell (no relation)
Except that Mattis couldn’t remember that Tel Aviv is the capital of Israel earlier today.
No, he refused to say Jerusalem is the capital. He flat out said Tel Aviv is the capital:
President-elect Donald Trump’s Defense Secretary nominee, James Mattis, was asked on Thursday what the capital of Israel is. And he didn’t say Jerusalem.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) asked about Israel during the hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, but Mattis refused to give him the answer he wanted.
“The capital of Israel that I go to, sir, is Tel Aviv, because that’s where all their government people are,” Mattis replied.
“Do you agree with me that the capital of Israel is Jerusalem?” asked Graham.
“Sir, right now, I stick with the U.S. policy,” said Mattis.
“Okay, do you support moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem?”
“I would defer to the nominee for Secretary of State on that, sir.”