Israel’s settlement expansion plan US criticism ‘meaningless’

Political analysts say the United States’ criticism of Israeli settlement expansion plans is meaningless, pointing to Washington’s apparent refusal to support a UN Security Council resolution calling on Israel to halt settlements.

Palestinian rights advocates say the contradiction underscores President Joe Biden’s unwillingness to meaningfully counter violations that Israel’s far-right government has committed against Palestinians.

Israel’s security cabinet had announced last week that it would legalise nine settlements in the occupied West Bank following a series of attacks in east Jerusalem, including one that killed three Israelis.

These so-called “wild” settlements were built without authorisation from the Israeli government.

The foreign ministers of five Western powers– Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the United States said on Tuesday they were “deeply troubled” by the Israeli government’s decision.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also criticised Israel’s plans on advancing settlements. President Joe Biden’s administration maintains its “firm opposition to the settlement expansion,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

Without action, mere statements against Israeli policies are “meaningless”, said Khalil Jahshan, executive director of the Arab Center Washington DC, a think tank.

“Israel knows it’s just an expression of dissatisfaction. Whether it’s a ‘regret’ or ‘deep concern’, whatever the diplomatic term du jour is, still the administration will not do anything practical about it to hold Israel responsible for its behaviour,” Jahshan told Al Jazeera.

Multiple media outlets have reported that the draft resolution could be up for a vote by the 15-member body as early as Monday.

“The contradiction of the Biden administration’s stated position ‘opposing’ Israel’s settlement expansion yet rejecting any attempt to hold them legally accountable is proof of their complicity in the continuation of Israeli occupation and apartheid,” said Tariq Kenney-Shawa, US policy fellow at Al-Shabaka, a Palestinian think tank.

“It’s simple — every US administration has said they oppose anything that will endanger a two-state solution, yet none have taken action to stop Israel’s illegal expansion,” Kenney-Shawa added in an email.