The Biden administration’s recent decision to revoke the Trump-era “Pompeo Doctrine,” which declared Jewish residences legal in Yehuda and Shomrim (the West Bank) has been met with fierce criticism.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo slammed the move, stating that President Biden is “ignoring the truth” that Yehuda and Shomron are Israel’s land, and undermining Israel’s right to exist.
“In reversing the Pompeo Doctrine, President Biden has now decided to ignore the truth that Judea and Samaria are Israel’s land, obtusely viewing it as an obstacle to peace and making the same mistake favored by his predecessor in the Obama administration,” Pompeo said.
“Undermining Israel’s right to exist in the Jewish people’s homeland deepens and prolongs the conflict,” he continued. “It is not Israeli settlements that are an obstacle to peace – it is the unwillingness of the Palestinians to come to the table honestly and acknowledge Israel’s right to exist, the gross atrocities committed by Hamas on Oct. 7, and Hamas’ continued existence. Those are the true obstacles to peace.”
Pompeo’s doctrine established that Israeli Jews living in these regions are not in violation of international law.
U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller defended Biden’s decision, citing the long-standing U.S. position that settlements are a barrier to peace.
However, David Friedman, former U.S. ambassador to Israel, disagreed, stating that research with State Department lawyers showed nothing illegal about Jews living in their biblical homeland.
“Blinken is 100% wrong,” Friedman said. “I researched this for over a year with many State Department lawyers. There is nothing illegal about Jews living in their biblical homeland. Indeed, Undersecretary of State Eugene Rostow, also the Dean of the Yale Law School (who negotiated UNSCR 242), stated that Israel has the best legal claim to Judea and Samaria. For Blinken to announce this in the middle of a war and when the Jewish Sabbath already has begun in Israel is unconscionable.”
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The “legality” of these settlements is not the point. At a time when EY needs to thread the needle with respect to pursuing the destruction of Hamas (and the inevitable civilian horrors) while sustaining political support from the U.S. and Europe, the issue of West Bank Settlements would appear to be a needless distraction for BOTH sides. The IDF needs to accelerate its efforts and wrap up its military action asap before it loses support from the few friends that remain, including the U.S. Right now, it appears that Netanyahu is dragging the military action out for political reasons along with failing to crack down on the right-wing nutcases in his coalition to support his own political survival.
“U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller defended Biden’s decision, citing the long-standing U.S. position that settlements are a barrier to peace”
so if a lot of ppl are jumping off a bridge so jumping off a bridge is now a good thing.
Duh… It’s now also Obama, and it’s not a mistake, it’s intentional.