US Issues Stark Warning to Israel Over 'Reckless' Plan

Advocates of further Israeli settlement in the occupied Palestinian West Bank are again risking U.S. ire, as Israel's multifront war against Hamas and other regional militant groups—plus Iran—continues.

Channel 12 News reported this weekend that Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich—the leader of the far-right National Religious Party–Religious Zionism and a longtime advocate of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law—is pushing to legalize 68 illegal outposts in the West Bank.

In March, Smotrich announced the Israeli seizure of 3.8 square miles of land in the West Bank, representing the largest such seizure since the 1993 Oslo Accords. On Wednesday, Vedant Patel—the State Department's principal deputy spokesperson—told journalists that Smotrich's new reported plans are "dangerous and reckless."

"Our policy, U.S. policy, remains that settlements are counterproductive to the cause of peace and the government of Israel's program is inconsistent with international law," Patel said. "And we'll continue to urge Israeli officials to refrain from taking actions to fund outposts that have long been illegal under Israeli law."

While the Gaza Strip has been devastated by Israel's latest offensive, the West Bank has simmered. Israel is conducting a widespread security crackdown in the territory, isolated parts of which are nominally under Palestinian Authority control in collaboration with Israel. Hamas and other militant groups retain a strong presence and significant support in the West Bank.

Palestinian prisoner groups say that 8,455 people have been arrested by Israeli security forces in the West Bank since October 7, when Hamas launched its surprise infiltration attack into Israel. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) say around 3,850 people have been arrested.

At least 489 people have been killed, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, by Israeli forces and settlers. The Israel Security Agency—Shin Bet—reported in December that there had been 128 Palestinian militant attacks in the two months since October 7.

Israeli settlers—many of whom are American citizens—are also ramping up attacks against local Palestinian communities. Earlier this month, for example, settlers rampaged through villages close to the Palestinian city of Ramallah, killing at least two people and burning homes and vehicles.

In March, the U.S. imposed sanctions on individual settlers and entire outposts linked to attacks on Palestinians, marking the first time that whole West Bank settler communities had been put under measures.

"This is about violence in the West Bank, violence that we believe to be destabilizing when it comes to our ultimate goal of peace and stability in the region," Patel said Wednesday of U.S. action against violent settlers.

President Joe Biden's administration has repeatedly stressed its commitment to the two-state solution, under which Palestinian authorities would have control of the West Bank. However, Israeli society and politicians have increasingly turned against that blueprint for peace.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long been opposed to a sovereign Palestinian state. In January, the veteran leader said that this "would have constituted an existential danger to Israel." He added: "As long as I am prime minister, I will continue to strongly insist on this."

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