Israel plans to approve construction of more than 3,300 new houses in settlements in occupied West Bank

[Donkees]

Israel plans to approve the construction of more than 3,300 new homes in settlements in the occupied West Bank, a senior cabinet minister from the far-right wing of the government announced, reports AP.

Approval of new construction is bound to elicit condemnation from the US at a time when the relationship between the allies is fraught because of disagreements over the course of Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

According to AP, finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said in a statement late on Thursday that the new construction is meant as a response to a fatal Palestinian shooting attack near Jerusalem earlier in the day. He said prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Yoav Gallant participated in the discussion leading to the decision.

The homes are to be built in the settlements of Maale Adumim, Efrat and Kedar, Smotrich said.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/feb/23/middle-east-crisis-live-israel-gaza-ceasefire-talks-rafah-latest-news-updates

[Celerity]

1. high time to cut them OFF from US aid, it is clear they will never stop with the ethnic cleansing under the current

regime and structure.

[Donkees]

2. Biden administration is also considering revoking the so-called Pompeo Doctrine ...

Two US officials said the Biden administration is also considering revoking the so-called Pompeo Doctrine, which deemed settlements “not per se inconsistent with international law.” The 2019 policy implemented by then-secretary of state Mike Pompeo overturned a 1978 memo by State Department legal adviser Herbert Hansell, which characterized settlements as illegal.

The senior US official speculated that the doctrine could be revoked if Israel takes a significant step to expand its footprint in the West Bank. Notably, Israel has avoided convening the Defense Ministry panel that advances settlement construction since the war with Hamas broke out. But even before October 7, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hardline government managed to set a record for the most settlement homes advanced in a single year.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-readying-to-issue-2nd-round-of-settler-sanctions-in-coming-weeks-sources/

[2naSalit]

3. More evidence that...

Many in the previous admin were worming their way through policy to undermine everything.

[Donkees]

5. The Biden administration has reversed the "Pompeo Doctrine"

The Biden administration has reversed the “Pompeo Doctrine”, a Trump-era policy that declined to say that Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are illegal under international law.

While the US has historically done little to pressure Israel to halt or roll back settlement expansion, the move by the Trump administration, named for firmly pro-Israel Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, symbolically reversed several decades of US policy, which acknowledged the illegality of such settlements.

In remarks today, current Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israeli settlements are a hindrance to peace and “inconsistent with international law”. The US official made no mention of tangible consequences Israel could face for new settlement construction, as it announced in plans earlier today.


https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/2/23/israels-war-on-gaza-live-local-authorities-report-central-gaza-massacre

[KS Toronado]

4. I grew up believing Jews were God's chosen people

And as such have always supported Israel, but I'm getting to the point if there is a God and a Judgment day
for mankind I have a feeling God will look at Israel and say "Didn't you learn how to love your neighbor?"

[GuppyGal]

6. Wow ...what a post !!

[bluestarone]

7. Well, i sure as hell wouldn't want to be the family living there.

THIS would open a can of worms , that will KILL lots of innocent families i fear.