US move on Israel settlements may have indirect impact

Significance

That comes after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last month announced a dramatic change to US policy on West Bank settlements, declaring that the State Department no longer considered these settlements illegal under international law. The decision reverses a 41-year-old State Department legal opinion and breaks with the global consensus of juridical interpretation.

Impacts

• The move antagonised many in the international community, making future US diplomatic engagement more challenging.
• Widespread unrest in the West Bank would add weight to calls for annexation beyond just the Jordan Valley.
• A key question will be whether a gradual shift in views over land claims will filter through to the Israeli judiciary.