U.S. softens stance on Israeli settlements, draws Palestinian outrage

[webfact]

U.S. softens stance on Israeli settlements, draws Palestinian outrage

By Arshad Mohammed, Matt Spetalnick and Humeyra Pamuk

 

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivers a statement on the Trump administration's position on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank during a news briefing at the State Department in Washington, U.S., November 18, 2019. REUTERS/Yara Nardi

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Monday effectively backed Israel's right to build Jewish settlements on the occupied West Bank by abandoning its four-decade-old position that they were "inconsistent with international law."

 

The announcement by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was a victory for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is struggling to remain in power after two inconclusive Israeli elections this year, and a defeat for the Palestinians.

 

Pompeo said U.S. statements about the settlements on the West Bank, which Israel captured in 1967, had been inconsistent, saying Democratic President Jimmy Carter found they were not consistent with international law and Republican President Ronald Reagan said he did not view them as inherently illegal.

 

"The establishment of Israeli civilian settlements is not, per se, inconsistent with international law," Pompeo told reporters at the State Department, reversing a formal legal position taken by the United States under Carter in 1978.

 

His announcement drew immediate praise from Netanyahu, condemnation from Palestinian officials and a U.S. warning to Americans in the region to exercise greater vigilance because those opposing the move "may target U.S. government facilities, U.S. private interests and U.S. citizens."

 

Pompeo announces softer U.S. stance on Israel's Jewish settlements

 

Netanyahu said the U.S. decision "rights a historical wrong" and called on other countries to take a similar stance.

 

Palestinians, however, voiced outrage.

 

"The United States is neither qualified nor is authorized to negate international legitimacy resolutions and it has no right to give any legitimacy to Israeli settlement," said Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in a statement.

 

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the Trump administration was threatening "to replace international law with the 'law of the jungle.'"

 

Jordan's foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, said the U.S. policy change would have "dangerous consequences" for the prospects of reviving peace talks and called settlements "a blatant violation of international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions."

 

Pompeo said the move was not meant to prejudge the status of the West Bank, which the Palestinians hope will become part of an eventual Palestinian state as part of a wider resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

 

"This is for the Israelis and the Palestinians to negotiate," he said, saying the U.S. decision was not meant "to compel a particular outcome nor create any legal obstacle to a negotiated resolution."

 

Like many of the Trump administration’s pro-Israeli moves, Pompeo’s settlements announcement is likely to appeal to evangelical Christians, an important part of Trump’s political base, which he is counting on to help him win re-election in 2020.

 

'GRATUITOUS MOVE'

However, analysts also criticized the move, saying it would make it even harder to resolve the more than 70-year-old conflict.

 

"He can declare that night is day, but it will not change the fact that Israeli settlements are not only illegal under international law, but are also a huge obstacle to peace and to the stability of our region," said Hagit Ofran of the Israeli anti-settlements group Peace Now.

 

The announcement marked the third major instance in which the Trump administration has sided with Israel and against stances taken by the Palestinians and Arab states even before unveiling its long-delayed Israeli-Palestinian peace plan.

 

In 2017 Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and, in 2018, the United States formally opened an embassy in the city. U.S. policy had previously been that the status of Jerusalem was to be decided by the parties to the conflict.

 

And in March, Trump recognised Israel’s 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights in a boost for Netanyahu that prompted a sharp response from Syria, which once held the strategic land.

 

Trump's move might have been designed to help Netanyahu as he struggles to stay in power. Israeli politics is deadlocked after two inconclusive elections this year. Former military chief Benny Gantz's centrist Blue and White party emerged neck and neck with Netanyahu following a September vote, and both leaders have struggled to put together a ruling coalition.

 

Martin Indyk, a former U.S. peace negotiator, described the decision on Twitter as "a totally gratuitous move."

 

"Why slap the Palestinians in the face again? Why boost the settlement/annexation movement at the very moment that Gantz is trying to form a government?" he asked.

 

(Additional reporting Steve Holland, Jonathan Landay, Lisa Lambert and Matt Spetalnick in Washington; by Stephen Farrell and Ari Rabinovitch in Jerusalem; Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza; Ali Sawafta in Ramallah; and Suleiman Al-Khalidi in Amman; Writing by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Lisa Lambert, Giles Elgood and Cynthia Osterman)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-11-19

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[Tug]

It’s just Donald pandering for the Jewish vote and perhaps distract from his Ukraine fiasco and imo it’s unfair to the Palestinian people 

[ezzra]

2 minutes ago, Tug said:

It’s just Donald pandering for the Jewish vote and perhaps distract from his Ukraine fiasco and imo it’s unfair to the Palestinian people 

Tell that to the Israeli who live in near and around Gaza and who has to endure frequent barrages of hundreds of rockets only last week Islamic Jihad in Gaza raind nearly 300 rockets on towns and cities populated with citizens, so no winners there, only losers...

[stevenl]

'This is not meant to prejudge the status of the west bank'.

Of course it is doing exactly that.

[Boon Mee]

 The status of the West Bank certainly belongs under Israel's domain. 

[Emdog]

"...effectively backed Israel's right to build Jewish settlements on the occupied West Bank..."

I think the words "privilege to build" might be a better choice than "right to build". Root of privilege is "private law". As this violates international law, could hardly be called a "right".

This item made me wonder, is this part of Jared's great peace plan for Middle East he was touted to be working on?

My take is that this action was aimed at hard core right wing Christians who support Israel not because they have any love for Jewish faith, but rather part of their mythology that establishment of Israel will lead to armageddon & Jesus return. I know plenty of Jews who do not building settlements on occupied territory.

[Sujo]

5 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

 The status of the West Bank certainly belongs under Israel's domain. 

Why, doesnt israel have borders.

[Sujo]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

Tell that to the Israeli who live in near and around Gaza and who has to endure frequent barrages of hundreds of rockets only last week Islamic Jihad in Gaza raind nearly 300 rockets on towns and cities populated with citizens, so no winners there, only losers...

300 rockets on towns and cities in a week. Must have been lots of casualties.

 

where are israels borders.

[Thainesss]

7 minutes ago, Sujo said:

300 rockets on towns and cities in a week. Must have been lots of casualties.

 

Good thing they have the Iron Dome. 

 

8 minutes ago, Sujo said:

where are israels borders.

 

Depends on what view of history you prefer and your preconceived bias. 

[sunnyboy2018]

9 minutes ago, Sujo said:

Why, doesnt israel have borders.

Being surrounded by enemies who are committed to killing you and who have invaded you three times makes your borders necessarily elastic.

[BestB]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

Tell that to the Israeli who live in near and around Gaza and who has to endure frequent barrages of hundreds of rockets only last week Islamic Jihad in Gaza raind nearly 300 rockets on towns and cities populated with citizens, so no winners there, only losers...

To be be fair, all the settlements to be built are not near Gaza but in the West bank.

 

Saying that, for 4 decades Palestinians refused to accept any and all offers, there are no negotiations and nothing has changed, so kind of makes sense why the decision.

 

May be now Palestinians will come to negotiating table and compromise

 

PS. latest report it was 400-450 rockets, more were fired after the cease fire agreement , mind you all rockets were targeting civilians

[BestB]

19 minutes ago, Sujo said:

300 rockets on towns and cities in a week. Must have been lots of casualties.

 

where are israels borders.

There were very little casualties, because Iron dome intercepted 90% of the rockets.but it also meant civilians either living in the bomb shelters or running to one at all hours of the day and night.

 

 Some borders are clearly defined, others not so.

[canthai55]

Israel stole that land - in fact all of Israel - and has never been brought to task for it.

Kicked out the inhabitants, walled and fenced them up in ghettos, denied them the most basic requirements of survival - like food and water, medical care, electricity, free travel.

Sound familiar - going back about 75 years ?

And people wonder why the Palestinians are not too happy about this state of affairs.

 

[BestB]

4 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Israel stole that land - in fact all of Israel - and has never been brought to task for it.

Kicked out the inhabitants, walled and fenced them up in ghettos, denied them the most basic requirements of survival - like food and water, medical care, electricity, free travel.

Sound familiar - going back about 75 years ?

And people wonder why the Palestinians are not too happy about this state of affairs.

 

I wonder where you get your " facts" from?

[Thainesss]

2 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Israel stole that land - in fact all of Israel - and has never been brought to task for it.

Kicked out the inhabitants, walled and fenced them up in ghettos, denied them the most basic requirements of survival - like food and water, medical care, electricity, free travel.

Sound familiar - going back about 75 years ?

And people wonder why the Palestinians are not too happy about this state of affairs.

 

Except that's not really how it all happened though is it. 

[canthai55]

With the connivance of the worlds powers at that time - Brits, French, and on and on and on ...

[BestB]

6 minutes ago, Thainesss said:

 

Except that's not really how it all happened though is it. 

depends which jihadist media you subscribe to ????

[bristolboy]

2 hours ago, Tug said:

It’s just Donald pandering for the Jewish vote and perhaps distract from his Ukraine fiasco and imo it’s unfair to the Palestinian people 

Actually not. It's Trump pandering to the evangelical vote.

[Chomper Higgot]

3 hours ago, Tug said:

It’s just Donald pandering for the Jewish vote and perhaps distract from his Ukraine fiasco and imo it’s unfair to the Palestinian people 

I suspect he’s pandering more to the rightwing Christian evangelists.

[Chomper Higgot]

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

Tell that to the Israeli who live in near and around Gaza and who has to endure frequent barrages of hundreds of rockets only last week Islamic Jihad in Gaza raind nearly 300 rockets on towns and cities populated with citizens, so no winners there, only losers...

Explain how this change of policy helps these people you refer to?

[canthai55]

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

Tell that to the Israeli who live in near and around Gaza and who has to endure frequent barrages of hundreds of rockets

And what do these Paragons of Virtue expect ?

If it happened to them the P and M would be heard around the world.

Yet when they do it to the Palestinians ... Nuttin'

Two Faced Arrogant Fascists comes to mind.

If they want justice, and an end to the hostility, return the land to the people who were first there.

And no more BS about some guy thousands of years ago who heard it from a burning bush - give me a break !

[Scott]

Troll post reported and removed.  

 

[Thainesss]

9 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

And what do these Paragons of Virtue expect ?

If it happened to them the P and M would be heard around the world.

Yet when they do it to the Palestinians ... Nuttin'

Two Faced Arrogant Fascists comes to mind.

If they want justice, and an end to the hostility, return the land to the people who were first there.

And no more BS about some guy thousands of years ago who heard it from a burning bush - give me a break !

 

Wow a real life terrorist sympathizer. 

 

Israel doesnt launch hundreds of rockets into 'palestine' civilian areas and then hide in hospitals and elementary schools like cowards. Israel doesn't sneak into 'palestine' and kill women and children and cops like the terrorists do. The 'Palestinians' do though. They are terrorists and Israel is a sovereign nation, fully justified in defending itself. 

 

8 minutes ago, BestB said:

Who were first there ? Which century would you like to reference that to?

 

Exactly, and without a doubt will leave out the Jews involvement in the area. 

[ezzra]

2 hours ago, Sujo said:

300 rockets on towns and cities in a week. Must have been lots of casualties.

 

where are israels borders.

One should be more tuned to the REAL news, not what the media select as to what to write about and what not, yes, 300 rockets in 3 days, no casualties, except for one top ranking Islamic jihad commander who was sent to meet his maker together with his family...

[Thainesss]

1 minute ago, ezzra said:

One should be more tuned to the REAL news, not what the media select as to what to write about and what not, yes, 300 rockets in 3 days, no casualties, except for one top ranking Islamic jihad commander who was sent to meet his maker together with his family...

 

Yeah but the 300 rockets into Israel is completely justifiable and supported yet killing the Jihad commander is murder. 

 

Thats really how these people see it. 

[Chomper Higgot]

6 minutes ago, Thainesss said:

 

Yeah but the 300 rockets into Israel is completely justifiable and supported yet killing the Jihad commander is murder. 

 

Thats really how these people see it. 

Same question to you:

 

How does this change of policy help the people you refer to?

[DannyCarlton]

2 hours ago, Thainesss said:

 

Except that's not really how it all happened though is it. 

No it was much worse than that, the Israelis also committed acts of genocide on the Palestinians.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabra_and_Shatila_massacre

 

"In 1983, a commission chaired by Seán MacBride, the assistant to the UN Secretary General and President of United Nations General Assembly at the time, concluded that Israel, as the camp's occupying power, bore responsibility for the violence.^[21] The commission also concluded that the massacre was a form of genocide.^["

[DannyCarlton]

2 hours ago, BestB said:

I wonder where you get your " facts" from?

I got my facts from my father who was part of the British peacekeeping force in Palestine in 47-48.

 

It left him with a lifelong hatred of Israel and all that it stood for.

[Jingthing]

4 hours ago, Tug said:

It’s just Donald pandering for the Jewish vote and perhaps distract from his Ukraine fiasco and imo it’s unfair to the Palestinian people 

The vast majority of American Jews are left leaning and vote democratic and support a two state solution (which of course would mean limitations on west bank settlements at the very least). This outrageous rebranding of the setlements is about pandering to an important part of 45's base -- white Christian evangelicals who outnumber American Jews massively even if American Jews supported this change in policy, which most don't. You might consider doing some elementary research before unfairly dissing American Jews. American Jews are sick and tired of being cynically used as political footballs, from the left and the right. 

 

 

 

 

[canthai55]

39 minutes ago, Thainesss said:

Wow a real life terrorist sympathizer. 

 

They are terrorists and Israel is a sovereign nation, fully justified in defending itself.

And Israel is not ? what do you call locking people up without their consent ? Denying them adequate food, water, power ?

Israel is a sovereign state because they stole the land.

This makes them thieves where I come from.

Here is a quote from the Balfour declaration - see how much Israel abides by this ...

His Majesty's government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.