I strongly believe policy with Israel needs to shift to a matter of legislation. This is a very dangerous policy that endangers Israel itself.
To begin, this sudden change in official USA policy has more than a blush of corruption due to the fact Donald J. Trump was voicing displeasure with the Secretary of State. It appears the Secretary of State carried out a defensive move against Trump.
The West Bank and Gaza are known to be the place where Palestinians can call home. It is these two regions governed by the Palestinian Authority. These announcements regarding the West Bank is void of agreement with the Palestinian Authority.
Israel is entering into a dangerous part of it's short history in that the USA has basically abandoned the region and ceded control to other authorities such as Russia in Syria and Turkey along the northern Syrian border. Israel has never stood on it's own before without the firm support of the USA both in munitions but also regional oppression of powers that would seek to destroy Isreal through war. If the USA is not oppressing these powers Israel basically stands alone.
This policy change by Trump only provides more autonomous decision making by Israel that will be based on political pressures. Those political pressures include very extreme ideas including expansionism and providing approved areas of settlements by citizens of Israel.
Without the USA placing stop gaps in movement by Israel into expansionism and settlements in Palestinian territories, the country will destroy itself through war and ideology. It is that larger picture authorities in the region including Russia, Syria, and Iran anticipate of plans to retaliate. Isreal will not be able to protect itself and the idea of using any fabled use of nuclear capacity is pure foolishness that will contaminate the very air Israel breaths for generations.
I think it is time for the US Congress to legislate Israeli policy to prevent wild swings dangerous to the country. It is time the US Congress legislates the permanent alliance with a love for its people, the defense of it's borders and a lasting and permanent pursuit of peace in the region that includes esteem for the Palestinian people and their right to exist.
November 18, 2019
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (click here) announced Monday that the Trump administration is reversing its stance on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a move that is bound to create another obstacle to a peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians.
"The establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank is not, per se, inconsistent with international law," Pompeo said at the State Department. Pompeo said that the U.S. was not weighing in on the legality of any individual settlement, leaving that to Israeli courts. He also said that this should not be read as a statement on the final status of the West Bank, which is "for the Israelis and the Palestinians to negotiate."
Pompeo put the announcement — a reversal of the Obama administration — into context of the last 40 years of U.S. administration views of the settlements.
"The establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank is not, per se, inconsistent with international law," Pompeo said at the State Department. Pompeo said that the U.S. was not weighing in on the legality of any individual settlement, leaving that to Israeli courts. He also said that this should not be read as a statement on the final status of the West Bank, which is "for the Israelis and the Palestinians to negotiate."
Pompeo put the announcement — a reversal of the Obama administration — into context of the last 40 years of U.S. administration views of the settlements.
