Top U.S. officials reacted with extreme concern Monday over Israel’s decision to legalize nine outposts in the West Bank and turn them into new settlements, a move that had previously been illegal under Israeli law.
“We are deeply troubled,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a State Department announcement. In Blinken’s words, the action by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government will “exacerbate tensions and undermine the prospects for a negotiated two-state solution,” something previous U.S. administrations of both parties have sought to avoid.
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The U.S. had previously made clear its objections to the move, per Axios. The decision is expected to create tensions between the two countries for the first time since Netanyahu returned as prime minister in December.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement that its decision surrounding the settlements was in retaliation for two recent attacks in Jerusalem that killed 10 Israelis. The Palestinian Authority has called the move an “open war” against its people, per Al Jazeera.
More than half a million Israelis live in the 200 settlements built on Palestinian land, which is considered illegal under international law, according to the Qatari news outlet.
Due to the added encroachment on what was Palestinian land and the possible forceful removal of Palestinians living there, the action is not only severely political but also considered by many as a move of aggression, thus drawing the deep unease from the U.S., which has long been a major ally of Israel but vocally supported a two-state solution.
“As I have previously stated, anything that takes us away from the vision of two states for two peoples is detrimental to Israel’s long-term security, its identity as a Jewish and democratic state, and to our vision of equal measures of security, freedom, prosperity, and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians alike,” Blinken’s statement further reads. “We call on all parties to avoid additional actions that can further escalate tensions in the region and to take practical steps that can improve the well-being of the Palestinian people.”
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Despite the disapproval of the Israeli plan, the Biden administration gave no indication that it would take any action against its ally.
Netanyahu’s new government is comprised heavily of Israeli ultranationalists who support settlement construction and openly oppose Palestinian independence.
