USA: Israeli settlements on the West Bank don&#x27;t violate international law

OP

Original post by Merpedy

Is it really a move away from their normal policy which is generally pro-Israel and whatever they do anyway?
Sure, saying it publicly may be a new thing but it doesn't seem that surprising in general

I expected the recognition of both Jerusalem as capital of Israel and the Golan Heights annexation.
Along with the US embassy relocation from Tel Aviv.
But I am surprised about the settlement announcement, particularly as regards the residential settlements on the West Bank.

Reply 3

StriderHort

21

I saw the headline, It kind of seems like a bad shift IMO, but 0% shock or surprise given current global bedfouling.

Reply 4

I can see a little brown smear on his nose.

Reply 5

username3941996

Is anyone really surprised? The Republicans love Israel and in their eyes, it can do no wrong. Trump probably knows it’s wrong but with the elections coming next year and the whole impeachment saga, he needs all the support he can get.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 6

OP

Original post by StriderHort

I saw the headline, It kind of seems like a bad shift IMO, but 0% shock or surprise given current global bedfouling.

Maybe I should have guessed that it was in the wind.
Given the impeachment enquiry, large number of democratic party nomination candidates, upcoming american elections and apparent stalemate paralysing the knesset.

Reply 7

OP

Original post by Napp

I can see a little brown smear on his nose.

I hear that Mr. Pompeo is a huge fan of Chocolate Tiramisu.

Reply 8

OP

Original post by asd1

This is going to trigger so many leftists hahahaha
@Napp don't cry corbyn lover
@QE2 don't cry you triggered atheist

I've been triggering leftists, fascists and quite a few britain first supporters for a very long time. :cool:

Please stop trying to bait other TSR users and attempting to derail the thread.
Napp is not a Corbyn fan.
Doubt QE2 has ever been triggered on TSR.

Reply 9

Original post by londonmyst

I hear that Mr. Pompeo is a huge fan of Chocolate Tiramisu.

Among other things it would seem. I believe the term, in their colourful language, is "cuckold"

Reply 10

Original post by asd1

This is going to trigger so many leftists hahahaha
@Napp don't cry corbyn lover
@QE2 don't cry you triggered atheist

You're a weird little child :lol:

Reply 11

StriderHort

21

Original post by londonmyst

Maybe I should have guessed that it was in the wind.
Given the impeachment enquiry, large number of democratic party nomination candidates, upcoming american elections and apparent stalemate paralysing the knesset.

I don't know how much it's time sensitive, although I won't deny that logic. But is Mr Pompeo really doing anything but confirming the international practical reality, rather than international law?*

I'm possibly a bit too cynical at this point, an election campaign of "Schools need less blacks and more guns" would barely get an eye roll.

(* - 'International law is probably the wrong term, stated policy might be batter)

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 12

OP

Original post by Professional G

Is anyone really surprised? The Republicans love Israel and in their eyes, it can do no wrong. Trump probably knows it’s wrong but with the elections coming next year and the whole impeachment saga, he needs all the support he can get.

I was surprised.
If it had been an announcement of increased military aid or grants, I wouldn't have blinked at all.
I'm not suggesting that the Trump administration's decision is wrong, only rather unexpected.

Quite a few Democratic and Republican senators have close links with various pro-Israel organisations.
America has long been a staunch ally of Israel- under both Democrat and Republican administrations.
Since the 1960s almost every Democratic and Republican Party presidential nominee has sought to established dialogue with America's largest pro-Israel lobby AIPAC with a view to seeking their support or recognition as pro-Israel candidates.

According to the AIPAC website:
"AIPAC works with Democrats and Republicans"
"The United States Congress has provided Israel with the strongest support of any institution in the world.
Maintaining bipartisan congressional support for Israel is crucial."

Reply 13

Original post by londonmyst

I was surprised.
If it had been an announcement of increased military aid or grants, I wouldn't have blinked at all.
I'm not suggesting that the Trump administration's decision is wrong, only rather unexpected.

In fairness, since Trump and his acolytes entered the White House its looked a fairly likely outcome, whats more surprising is they took so long about it.

According to the AIPAC website:
"AIPAC works with Democrats and Republicans"
"The United States Congress has provided Israel with the strongest support of any institution in the world.
Maintaining bipartisan congressional support for Israel is crucial."

I feel against would be a better choice of phrasing given the number of senators, of both stripes, they've railroaded in the past.

Reply 14

A Rolling Stone

Original post by londonmyst

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has announced that Israeli settlements on the West Bank don't violate international law.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/11/18/israeli-settlements-palestinian-land-dont-violate-international/

What do you think about this apparent shift away from traditional American policy?

Do you think it has the potential to significantly impact upon the political landscape of the USA, Israel or European nations?

Please let's keep this thread civil and not add to the mods workload.
Strictly no trolling, race hate, bible bashing or any other religious propaganda.

i dont think anyone has ever questioned if international law is morally legitimate. if there is no demos, to whom are the legislators of international law accountable to?

also, the Israeli settlements were seized from a no-mans land, abandoned by Jordan in a defensive war won fairly by Israel. Making compromises for Palestinian nationalism (remember arab nationalism = good, scottish nationalism = tolerable, english nationalism = evil) is a different issue entirely

Reply 15

QE2

Original post by londonmyst

Doubt QE2 has ever been triggered on TSR.

How dare you!

Reply 16

QE2

It's almost like they're trolling the grown-up countries.

Starmer for PM!

Original post by A Rolling Stone

i dont think anyone has ever questioned if international law is morally legitimate. if there is no demos, to whom are the legislators of international law accountable to?

also, the Israeli settlements were seized from a no-mans land, abandoned by Jordan in a defensive war won fairly by Israel. Making compromises for Palestinian nationalism (remember arab nationalism = good, scottish nationalism = tolerable, english nationalism = evil) is a different issue entirely

Too bad the UN has voted to recognise Palestine as a none member observer state along the pre-1967 borders back in 2012, thus giving it the same legal status as the Vatican. By your logic, Israel can annex the Vatican as well and claim that it's "abandoned Italian land".

Reply 19

A Rolling Stone