logo
welcome
The Hill

The Hill

Dems hammer Israel over West Bank settlements: ‘Illegal’ and ‘indefensible’

The Hill
Summary
Nutrition label

72% Informative

The West Bank settlements have grown dramatically under the radar since the start of the Israel-Hamas War a year ago .

Democrats are accusing the Israelis of stealing land from Palestinians and crippling the chances of a negotiated peace agreement founded on the creation of an autonomous Palestinian state, which they see as the only path to a lasting deal.

Even some Republicans acknowledge that the settlements present an obstacle to any permanent peace deal in the region.

Israel has encouraged the West Bank settlements ever since it seized the territory from Jordan in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War .

Almost 500,000 Israelis have settled in the occupied region, alongside almost 3 million Palestinians .

The issue has been an enormous headache for the Biden administration, which has sought a delicate balance.