The Biden administration has reversed the "Pompeo Doctrine"

[Donkees]

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

[Donkees]

1. Blinken: Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank is "inconsistent with international law''

Secretary of State Tony Blinken said on Friday that Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank is "inconsistent with international law," reversing a Trump-era decision that had overturned decades of U.S. policy on the issue.

Blinken's decision to reverse what has been known as the "Pompeo doctrine" comes as a response to the Israeli government's announcement on Thursday that it plans to expand the settlements in the West Bank, a U.S. official told Axios. The move has been considered by the State Department for the last three years.

"We are disappointed with the announcement [of new settlements]. It has been a long-standing policy of both Democratic and Republican administrations that new settlements are counterproductive to achieving enduring peace. They are also inconsistent with international law," Blinken said.

"Our administration maintains firm opposition to settlement expansion, In our judgment it only weakens, not strengthens Israel's security," he added.

Then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in November 2019 announced the U.S. would no longer view Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Golan Heights and East Jerusalem as "inconsistent with international law."

While largely symbolic for the Trump administration, it was a major shift in U.S. policy because it overturned a legal position held by the U.S. State Department since 1978, when the Carter administration determined that the settlements were a violation of international law. Much of the international community holds the view that the settlements are illegal.

https://www.axios.com/2024/02/23/israel-settlements-blinken-pompeo-trump-illegal

[flying_wahini]

7. Once again, Jimmy Carter tried to tell them but they wouldn't listen.

[mountain grammy]

12. Good move..!

I'd like to see Biden get a lot tougher on Israel..and I think he will.

[Basic LA]

2. Time to draw a "line in the sand."

Preferably at the UN. Let's join--or lead--the world community in righting this wrong.

[Uncle Joe]

3. Kicked and recommended

Thanks for the thread Donkees

[2naSalit]

4. I know that...

It takes a lot to get to this point but still, it's about fucking time.

[Donkees]

5. ''US readying to issue 2nd round of settler sanctions in coming weeks''

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218706939

The Biden administration is readying to issue a second round of sanctions in the coming weeks against Israeli settlers who carried out acts of violence in the West Bank, a US official and a second source familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel this week.

The sources said several more Israeli extremists will be targeted, joining the four who were sanctioned in the first round, which was announced in tandem with a February 1 executive order signed by US President Joe Biden that cleared the way for the unprecedented penalties on the grounds that settler violence threatens regional security along with American interests.

[ck4829]

6. How can the US be expected to be a leader when we have a doctrine that consists of "Uhhh, I dunno"?

[Donkees]

8. Senator Chris Van Hollen applauds restoration of settlement policy

Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen has welcomed the Biden administration’s decision to reverse a Trump-era policy that refused to say that Israeli settlements in the occupied territories are illegal under international law.

“I applaud @SecBlinken for taking this important step to reassert U.S. policy against illegal settlements and to advance a viable two-state future where Israelis and Palestinians can live with equal measures of dignity, rights and security,” the senator said in a social media post.

Link to tweet

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

[TeamProg]

9. Yes! The occupation / invasion is a big contributor to Hamas' terrorism activity.

Glad the IJC is on the case.

[TeamProg]

10. We already know what a fucking IDIOT Mike Pompeo is.

It seems very unfortunate for Israel that they elected a bunch of Trumpers. Biden has a tight rope to walk. So far, he's only doing okay by me on this specific issue. I'd prefer a hard cease-fire demand. On every other issue Biden has been amazingly good, even better that I thought was possible.

[Old Crank]

11. Good

The people are stealing the land by force or terror.

[PufPuf23]

13. POTUS Biden Settlement Policy in Israel.

Note just made the same post prior to seeing this three.

The quotes are from TwitterX and don't have an account.

US senator applauds restoration of settlement policy

Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen has welcomed the Biden administration’s decision to reverse a Trump-era policy that refused to say that Israeli settlements in the occupied territories are illegal under international law.

“I applaud @SecBlinken for taking this important step to reassert U.S. policy against illegal settlements and to advance a viable two-state future where Israelis and Palestinians can live with equal measures of dignity, rights and security,” the senator said in a social media post.

Former US ambassador to Israel hits out at Blinken over settlement policy

David Friedman, who served as ambassador to Israel under the Trump administration and earned a reputation for controversial acts underscoring his firm support for Israel, has slammed current Secretary of State Blinken’s remarks earlier today that Israeli settlements violate international law, a position the Trump administration did not take.

“Blinken is 100% wrong. I researched this for over a year with many State Department lawyers,” Friedman said in a social media post. “There is nothing illegal about Jews living in their biblical homeland.”