Politics

US calls new Israeli settlements in West Bank illegal in policy turnaround

Washington, Feb 23 (EFE).- United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank was inconsistent with international law, signaling a return to Washington’s long standing policy on the matter after a reversal by the Donald Trump administration.

“It’s been longstanding US policy under Republican and Democratic administrations alike that new settlements are counterproductive to reaching an enduring peace. They’re also inconsistent with international law,” Blinken said during a joint press conference with Argentina’s Foreign Minister Diana Mondino in Buenos Aires.

“Our administration maintains a firm opposition to settlement expansion. And in our judgement, this only weakens – it doesn’t strengthen – Israel’s security,” he added.

Washington’s hardening stance toward the settlements comes shortly after Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced Thursday plans for 3,000 new settlement homes in the occupied West Bank.

During former-Republican President Donald Trump (2017-2021), the US ended its four-decade stance that the Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory were illegal.

However, Blinken declined to comment on whether the US would take legal action against Israeli settlers or the Israeli government, something it has not done despite the proliferation of these homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem for years.

Tensions in Israeli settlements have escalated further since the beginning of the Gaza crisis on Oct. 7.

On Thursday, one person died and six others were wounded during a shooting attack by three Palestinians on a road connecting an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank with Jerusalem.

Earlier this month, the US imposed sanctions against four Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank under a new executive order signed by President Joe Biden targeting those involved in violence and displacement of Palestinian communities. EFE

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