The United States on Monday objected to a decision by Israel’s nationalist-religious government to approve the construction of around 5,700 additional housing units for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank.
The United States was “deeply troubled” by the move, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters, adding that US officials had made clear publicly and privately to Israel their opposition to moves that advance settlements.
Most countries deem the settlements, built on land captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war, as illegal. Their presence is one of the fundamental issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“We believe that settlements are an impediment to a negotiated two-state solution,” said Miller.
The plans for approval of the housing units in various areas of the West Bank were approved by Israel’s Supreme Planning Council. Final approvals were given to 818 units while the others were in various stages of approval. Jewish settler leadership praised the decision.
“I thank the Israeli Government for the continued development of Israeli settlement,” said Shlomo Ne’man, head of the West Bank Gush Etzion Regional Council and chairman of the Yesha Council.
“Especially in these difficult days, this is the most appropriate Zionist answer to all those who seek to destroy us.”
Read the article by Emily Rose, Simon Lewis and Steve Holland in Sight Magazine.