U.S. No Longer Considers Israeli Settlements Illegal by Felicia Schwartz – Wall Street Journal
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday that the U.S. no longer will consider Israeli settlements to be illegal under international law, a move that formalizes the Trump administration’s treatment of the West Bank and shifts decades of U.S. policy.
Much of the international community, including the United Nations, considers all Israeli settlement activity to be illegal, and Palestinians cite it as a primary obstacle to peace.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank ahead of Israeli elections in September. He has failed to form a government, and his opponent, Benny Gantz, has until Wednesday to do so. Mr. Pompeo’s announcement at a news conference at the State Department could be seen as a boost to Mr. Netanyahu, though officials say the U.S. move follows a long policy review…