The head of US diplomacy, Antony Blinken, warned this Sunday that the United States will oppose the establishment of new colonies by the next Israeli government in the occupied West Bank, at a time when Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to regain power thanks to a coalition with the extreme right.
“We will also continue to unequivocally oppose any action that jeopardizes the two-state solution, including settlement expansion, moves toward annexation of the West Bank, disruption of the historic status quo of holy sites, demolitions and evictions, and incitement to violence. said the Secretary of State during an intervention with the American progressive pro-Israel group J Street.
The right-wing bloc and its ultra-Orthodox and far-right allies won a majority in Israel’s legislative elections on November 1, with 64 seats out of 120, allowing Benjamin Netanyahu to start negotiations to form a government.
A “horizon of hope” for the creation of a Palestinian state
During his speech on Sunday, Antony Blinken congratulated Benjamin Netanyahu, whose relations with the United States have been stormy at times.
“We will judge the (Israeli) government by its policies and not by its individual personalities,” said the Secretary of State, however, adding that the Biden administration would work “tirelessly” to preserve “hope” for the establishment of a Palestinian government. condition.
More than 475,000 Israelis currently live in West Bank settlements, illegal under international law, some four times as many as when the Oslo Accords were signed in the 1990s that failed to achieve lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
“Develop Colonization”
Immersed in government negotiations, Benjamin Netanyahu signed a coalition agreement on Thursday with one of the three far-right parties, which thus obtained a key position in the development of colonization in the West Bank, Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 by Israel.
By virtue of this agreement, the “Religious Zionism” party obtains in particular the portfolio -in rotation- of the Treasury, that of Immigration, as well as “functions” in the branch of the Ministry of Defense in charge of the Israeli colonies on the West Bank.
The leader of this formation, Bezalel Smotrich, expressed his intention to “develop colonization” in a joint statement with Benjamin Netanyahu.
Anger from the Israeli LGBT+ community
Benjamin Netanyahu promised during the campaign to be “everyone’s prime minister”, but another coalition deal, with an openly homophobic far-right leader, drew the ire of Israel’s LGBT+ community in late November.
The head of US diplomacy stressed on Sunday that the United States would insist on respect for “fundamental democratic principles, including respect for the rights of LBGT+ people and the fair administration of justice for all citizens of Israel.”
I interrogated ce subject dimanche lors d’un entertainer sur la chaîne américaine NBC, Benjamin Netanyahu balayé les critiques, assuring: “Je n’accepterai rien de cela. (…) Au bout du compte, je déciderai des politiques” mises instead.
Under Israeli law, he has until December 11 to form a government, but he can also request a 14-day extension.
Source: BFM TV
