WASHINGTON: The United States Thursday strongly condemned Israel’s recent approval of illegal settlements on a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Bethlehem, citing concerns that it could undermine the prospects for a sovereign Palestinian state.
On Wednesday, far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the settlement move, openly saying that the aim was to create new “facts on the ground” to obstruct the establishment of a Palestinian state.
State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel criticized the decision, stating, “Every single one of these new settlements would hinder Palestinian economic development and freedom of movement, and threaten the viability of a two-state solution.” Patel described the expansion as inconsistent with international law and voiced strong opposition to further settlement activities in the West Bank.
The Biden administration has intensified its criticism of Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, other far-right members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, who have opposed President Joe Biden’s plan to end the 10-month Gaza war that has killed more than 400,05 Palestinians, mostly children and women.
Under international law, all Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which has been occupied since 1967, are deemed illegal. Although the Biden administration has consistently criticized settlement expansion, including prior to the Gaza conflict, it has not imposed direct retaliatory measures against Israel, a close ally.
In contrast, the previous administration under Donald Trump diverged from longstanding US policy by not recognizing the settlements as illegal.
