The Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, assured this Friday that the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank is “inconsistent with international law”, which represents a shift in Washington’s policy towards this focus of tension in the Palestinian territories since the change of position of the Donald Trump administration.
“The new settlements are counterproductive when it comes to achieving lasting peace. They are also inconsistent with international law,” Blinken said from Buenos Aires, at the close of his tour of Brazil and Argentina, in which he met with the leaders. of two nations, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Javier Milei.
“Our administration maintains its firm opposition to the expansion of settlements. In our opinion this only weakens and does not strengthen Israel’s security,” explained the head of US diplomacy.
Washington’s hardening stance toward settlements comes just after Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced Thursday 3,000 new homes in existing settlements in the West Bank.
The United States, under Republican President Donald Trump (2017-2021), ended its four-decade stance that considered Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory illegal and since then the State Department has not been explicit when it comes to returning to declare these expansions contrary to international law.
However, Blinken declined to comment on whether the United States 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.
Israeli settlements are a focus of even more heated tensions since the beginning of the Gaza crisis on October 7.
This Thursday, one person died and six others were wounded when they suffered a shooting attack carried out by three Palestinians on a road that connects an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank with Jerusalem.
Earlier this month, the United States imposed sanctions against four Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank under a new executive order signed by President Joe Biden to punish those involved in violence and displacement of Palestinian communities.
