CHARLOTTE, N.C.—The Democratic Party released a 2012 platform Tuesday that omits previous language describing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, sparking an unexpected dust-up just as President Barack Obama is preparing to accept his party's nomination for a second term.

The platform isn't binding on a president, and the document stresses that Mr. Obama and the Democrats "maintain an unshakable commitment to Israel's security." But the issue underlines a continuing challenge for Mr. Obama as some critics have persistently questioned his support for Israel, even while he insists it is strong.

Read the complete story(Some news sites require registration)