Jerusalem's Western Wall, Kotel
Jerusalem's Western Wall, KotelIsrael news photo: Uri Lenz/Flash 90

China, which has refused to buck Iran and Syria, now goes to bat for the Arab world and warns that Mitt Romney’s pro-Jerusalem remarks could even "reignite a war between Palestinians and Israelis.”

The presumptive Republican presidential candidate stated in his visit to Israel Sunday and Monday that Jerusalem is the country’s capital, a designation the international community does not accept because of the Arab world’s opposition.

“The U.S. presidential hopeful's dangerous words should be carefully watched,” wrote the Chinese news agency Xinhua Tuesday.

After noting that “the status of Jerusalem is highly sensitive, which involves the religious sentiments and dignity of most Arab people,” the newspaper turned to Romney’s tough talk on the nuclear threat from Iran, where China has a heavy investment,

Romney pledged to "employ any and all measures to dissuade the Iranian regime from its nuclear course," adding that the United States would never look away from its "passion and commitment to Israel."

Xinhua then charged, “Romney's remarks totally neglect historical facts and are actually irresponsible if he just meant to appeal to voters at home” but inexplicably followed with an explanation of the 1995 Congressional Jerusalem Embassy Act. It states that the capital must be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem but included a waiver that every president has recognized, postponing the move due to “national security,” although the connection never has been made clear.

However, “Romney stubbornly vowed to carry out this law, which, if translated into action, will cause international concerns,” the Chinese news agency added. It explained that “any words that favor any party to the conflict regardless of history and reality are irresponsible and unfair for Palestinians who are in a less powerful position in the peace talks."