Ameinu strongly condemns the announcement by the Trump administration that Israeli settlements in the West Bank do not violate international law. “As longtime supporters of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, today’s announcement gives Israel the green light to annex settlements while reducing the possibility of a negotiated peace,” said Ameinu President Kenneth Bob.
“It is beyond perplexing how Secretary of State Pompeo could believe that this move will ‘increase the likelihood’ of a political settlement between the two sides when in all likelihood, this ill-timed and poorly conceived move will only serve to increase tensions and mistrust between Israelis and Palestinians,” Bob added.
Ameinu also questions the timing of this announcement, given the political and legal difficulties currently facing Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu and the ongoing coalition discussions in Israel. “This is clearly a Hail Mary intended to bolster the Prime Minister’s political fortunes. Changing the status quo on the settlements at this most sensitive time is bad for the United States and Israel ,” Bob concluded.
