State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell refused, despite repeated questions, to name the capital of Israel today.

“Well, as you know, longstanding Administration policy, both in this Administration and in previous administrations across both parties, is that the status of Jerusalem is an issue that should be resolved in final status negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians,” Ventrell said during the press briefing.

“What does the U.S. think the capital of Israel is?” a reporter asked as a follow-up. “As I’ve just said, we believe that the status of Jerusalem is an issue that should be resolved in final status [negotiations],” Ventrell replied.

That clearly did not satisfy Ventrell’s interlocutor. “I’m not asking you that question. I’m asking you what you think the capital is.”

Ventrell reiterated his statement about Jerusalem.

The location of Israel’s capital has been a political topic this week, as the Democratic National Committee dropped from its platform the affirmation that Jerusalem is the capital but then added it again under pressure.

“The platform is being amended to maintain consistency with the personal views expressed by the President and in the Democratic Party platform in 2008,” DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz  said yesterday.