U.S. Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney steps aboard his chartered aircraft with his wife Ann in Tel Aviv, July 30, 2012. Romney is flying to Poland on Monday for the last leg of his three-nation trip. 
 
 Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) meets U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Jerusalem July 29, 2012. Romney would back Israel if it were to decide it had to use military force to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, a senior aide said on... 
 
 U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his wife Ann step on their charter aircraft en route from Stansted Airport near London to Tel Aviv, Israel, July 28, 2012. 
 
 Israel's President Shimon Peres (L) walks with U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney upon Romney's arrival for their meeting in Jerusalem July 29, 2012. Romney would back Israel if it were to decide it had to use military force to stop Iran from developing a... 
 
 Israel's President Shimon Peres (L) and U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney smile at each other upon Romney's arrival for their meeting in Jerusalem July 29, 2012. Romney would back Israel if it were to decide it had to use military force to stop Iran from... 
 
 Israel's President Shimon Peres (R) meets U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Jerusalem July 29, 2012. Romney would back Israel if it were to decide it had to use military force to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, a senior aide said on Sunday. 
 
 U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney meets Israel's President Shimon Peres (not pictured) in Jerusalem July 29, 2012. Romney would back Israel if it were to decide it had to use military force to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, a senior aide said on... 
 
 U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney (C) leaves after a visit at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in Jerusalem's Old City July 29, 2012. Romney would respect an Israeli decision to use military force to stop Iran from developing a nuclear... 
 
 U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney places a note in the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in Jerusalem's Old City July 29, 2012. Romney would respect an Israeli decision to use military force to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, a senior... 
 
 U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney places a note in the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in Jerusalem's Old City July 29, 2012. Romney would back Israel if it were to decide it had to use military force to stop Iran from developing a nuclear... 
 
 U.S. Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney meets members of the audience after delivering foreign policy remarks at Mishkenot Sha'ananim in Jerusalem, July 29, 2012. 
 
 U.S. Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney meets members of the audience after delivering foreign policy remarks at Mishkenot Sha'ananim in Jerusalem, July 29, 2012. 
 
 U.S. Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney is pictured before delivering foreign policy remarks at Mishkenot Sha'ananim in Jerusalem, July 29, 2012. 
 
 JERUSALEM U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Monday tapped Jewish-American donors for more than $1 million, ending a trip to Israel that aimed to show he would be a better ally than President Barack Obama. 
 
 After days in which Romney spoke mostly on foreign policy issues, the fundraiser returned him to more comfortable turf - the state of the U.S. economy, which he sees as the main issue in the November 6 election. 
 
 "What we are seeing now are policies that have not worked for the American people, and will not work," Romney said without mentioning Obama, the Democrat he has blamed for failing to substantially reduce U.S. unemployment, now pegged at 8.2 percent. 
 
 It was the second fundraiser of Romney's trip abroad. He picked up $2 million from Americans in London, as the candidates compete for cash for the expected multi-million-dollar burst of political TV ads in the last 100 days of the campaign. 
 
 Las Vegas casino owner Sheldon Adelson, an ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well, sat to Romney's left at the breakfast event in Jerusalem. 
 
 Adelson had backed Romney rival Newt Gingrich in the Republican primary, but has turned his support to the former Massachusetts governor. 
 
 Adelson has contributed some $10 million to a "Superpac" that supports Romney. A Superpac is an outside group not directly affiliated with a campaign that can support a candidate or specific causes. 
 
 'STARK DIFFERENCE' 
 
 Romney received a warm welcome from Israeli leaders as he tried to portray himself as a better friend of the Jewish state than Obama, whose relationship with Netanyahu has been testy. 
 
 While Romney carried a clear pro-Israel message, he also noted a "stark difference" in the average incomes of Israelis and Palestinians - $25,000 and $10,000, respectively. 
 
 Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, who held a brief meeting with Romney on Sunday, told Reuters in a Twitter exchange they had discussed "the peace process and the economical challenges in Palestine". 
 
 Romney began his foreign trip in London, where he irked Britons by questioning their readiness to host the Summer Olympics. He appeared to rebound from that gaffe in Israel, where he stuck to script and navigated the complicated Middle East situation without any noticeable slip-ups. 
 
 Romney heads to Poland later on Monday, where he is scheduled to meet with Solidarity leader Lech Walesa in Gdansk, as well as Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and to visit a World War Two memorial. 
 
 (Writing by Steve Holland and Maayan Lubell; Editing by Vicki Allen) 

 Palestinian leaders expressed offence and outrage at comments by Mitt Romney during his lightning visit to Israel, in which he said the Jewish state's economic success compared with its Palestinian neighbours was due to "cultural" differences and the "hand of providence", and declared Jerusalem to be "the capital of Israel". 
 
 The presumptive Republican candidate in the the US presidential race told a $25,000-a-head (£16,000) fundraising event in Jerusalem: "As I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognise the power of at least culture and a few other things." 
 
 He cited a climate of innovation, the Jewish history of thriving in adversity, and the "hand of providence". 
 
 Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian official, condemned Romney's comments. "It is a racist statement, and this man doesn't realise that the Palestinian economy cannot reach its potential because there is an Israeli occupation," he said. 
 
 "It seems to me this man lacks information, knowledge, vision and understanding of this region and its people. He also lacks knowledge about the Israelis themselves. I have not heard any Israeli official speak about cultural superiority." 
 
 Romney, who did not visit the West Bank while in the Holy Land, made no mention of either Israel's 45-year occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, nor its continuing blockade of Gaza, both of which have had a catastrophic impact on the Palestinian economy. 
 
 The consensus of international economists, including the IMF and the World Bank, is that the Palestinian economy will fail to develop firm foundations and sustained growth until Israeli restrictions on imports, exports and the movement of goods are lifted. 
 
 Romney's comparison between the Israeli and Palestinian economies drew on figures substantially different from those cited by the World Bank. Romney said: "As you come here and you see the [gross domestic product] per capita, for instance, in Israel, which is about $21,000, 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." 
 
 According to the World Bank, however, Israel's per-capita GDP was about $31,000 in 2011, while the West Bank and Gaza's was just over $1,500. 
 
 More than 40 people attended Romney's fundraising breakfast at Jerusalem's famous King David hotel, amassing more than $1m for the Republican election campaign. The event was moved from Sunday after Romney aides realised it had been scheduled during Tisha B'Av, a Jewish day of mourning and fasting. 
 
 Sheldon Adelson, the Jewish-American billionaire casino magnate who has bankrolled Romney's presidential campaign, sat next to the candidate at a U-shaped table. Adelson also owns Israel Hayom, the Jewish state's biggest-circulation newspaper, which is a staunch supporter of Binyamin Netanyahu's government. 
 
 Among the other guests were the New York Jets owner, Woody Johnson, and the hedge fund manager Paul Singer. Donors ate a typical Israeli breakfast of salad, cheese, yoghurt and pastries. 
 
 Romney, who introduced his eldest son, Josh, to the gathering, said he had "read a number of books" on what makes countries successful. 
 
 He added: "I am overwhelmingly impressed with the hand of providence, whenever it chooses to apply itself, and also the greatness of the human spirit, and how individuals who reach for greatness and have purpose above themselves are able to build and accomplish things that could only be done by a species created in the image of God." 
 
 During a speech on Sunday delivered against the backdrop of the historic old city at sunset, Romney described Jerusalem as "the capital of Israel". Erekat said the remark was "absolutely unacceptable". 
 
 A second senior Palestinian official, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said the statement was unhelpful to peace negotiations, pointing out it "contradict[ed] the previous positions held by the American administration". 
 
 The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. East Jerusalem was occupied in 1967 and later annexed by Israel in a move not recognised by the international community. The future of Jerusalem is one of the most complex and delicate issues in negotiations on a possible peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. 
 
 All foreign embassies, including that of the US, are in Tel Aviv, with consular services based in Jerusalem. In a statement, the White House stated official policy: "The status of Jerusalem is an issue that should be resolved in final status negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. We continue to work with the parties to resolve this issue and others in a way that is just and fair, and respects the rights and aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians."
– Mitt Romney offended Palestinians again today, saying that Israel was more prosperous than Palestine because of its superior culture and the will of God. "You notice such a dramatically stark difference in economic vitality" between Israel and Palestine, Romney said at a fundraiser in Jerusalem today, citing each nation's per-capita GDP, the AP reports. He went on to say that in considering Israel's accomplishments "I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things" including the "hand of providence." Palestinians were not amused. "What is this man doing here?" one Palestinian official asked the Guardian. "Yesterday, he destroyed negotiations by saying Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, and today he is saying Israeli culture is more advanced than Palestinian culture. Isn't this racism?" The official contends that Palestine's economy is suffering "because there is an Israeli occupation." A Romney spokesman now says the comments "were grossly mischaracterized," saying he touched on income disparities between other neighboring nations, like the US and Mexico, as well. But the controversy at least came with a silver lining for Romney: He raised more than $1 million at the fundraiser, Reuters reports.