New Delhi: The US government’s declaration Monday that the Jewish settlements in the West Bank are not “illegal” reverses America’s long-held position on the matter. In a press conference, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the matter of the West Bank was between Israel and Palestine.
These Jewish settlements on the West Bank and East Jerusalem have been a major contention between Israel and Palestine, with both claiming dominion over the two regions. The land was occupied by the Jews in the 1967 Middle East war and approximately 7,00,000 Israelis live in these settlements.
Shift in US’ position
In 1978, US President Jimmy Carter had concluded that these settlements were not consistent with the international law. His successor, Ronald Reagan then stated that these settlements were “illegitimate” but not “illegal” and this has been the US position on the issue ever since.
However, towards the end of Barack Obama’s tenure in 2016, US gave up a long-held practice of vetoing the UN resolution, which would urge Israel to end these “illegal” settlements.
Now, under Trump, the US has adopted the most pro-Israel stand on this matter. Effectively, the Trump-administration’s decision is more accommodative of Israel’s interests than even the Reagan-administration.
“After carefully studying all sides of the legal debate … the United States has concluded that the establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank is not, per se, inconsistent with international law,” said Pompeo.
How are different sides reacting to this move?
Large parts of the Israeli-political class have welcomed the US government’s decision, especially President Benjamin Netanyahu.
“‘This policy reflects a historical truth — that the Jewish people are not foreign colonialists in Judea and Samaria,’ Netanyahu said in a statement, referring to the West Bank by its biblical name,” noted The Times of Israel.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority has condemned the move.
“The US administration has lost its credibility to play any future role in the peace process,” said a Palestinian Authority spokesperson.
What are the possible ramifications?
President Netanyahu failed to form a coalition government after the recent elections and some political commentators argue that this move might gave him a fresh life.
The actual impact of this move on the Israel-Palestine peace process is unclear.
“Mr Pompeo said the decision would create the political space for a more likely resolution of the conflict. But that resolution is now more likely to be on Israel’s terms, since it is by far the stronger party,” noted Barbara Plett-Usher, BBC’s Middle East correspondent.