Israeli settlement officials called Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s announcement that settlements don’t violate international law a “historic” decision and thanked the U.S. administration for its shift in policy.
Pompeo’s Monday evening announcement signals the administration’s softening of its position on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the latest in a series of Trump administration moves that weaken Palestinian claims to statehood.
Minutes after Pompeo spoke, the European Union issued a response: “The European Union’s position on Israeli settlement policy in the occupied Palestinian territory is clear and remains unchanged: All settlement activity is illegal under international law and it erodes the viability of the two-state solution and the prospects for a lasting peace.