On Thursday, the White House issued a statement gently urging Israel to stop expanding its settlements in Palestinian territories, saying that "while we don't believe the existence of settlements is an impediment to peace, the construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful in achieving" President Trump's goal of "peace throughout the Middle East region." Trump "has not taken an official position on settlement activity," added the statement, attributed to White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, but Trump looks forward to discussing the issue when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the White House on Feb. 15.
The statement was a surprise, since Trump has surrounded himself with pro-settlement advisers and was strongly critical of President Barack Obama's Israeli policy, including opposition to expansion into territory globally recognized as belonging to the Palestinians. It followed a meeting Trump had on Thursday morning with King Abdullah II of Jordan, a key U.S. ally with an enormous stake in the peace process in neighboring Israel, and Netanyahu's pledge on Thursday to build the first new settlement in the occupied West Bank in many years.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
A running list of RFK Jr.'s controversiesIn Depth The man atop the Department of Health and Human Services has had no shortage of scandals over the years
-
Film reviews: Sinners and The King of KingsFeature Vampires lay siege to a Mississippi juke joint and an animated retelling of Jesus' life
-
Music reviews: Bon Iver, Valerie June, and The WaterboysFeature "Sable, Fable," "Owls, Omens, and Oracles," "Life, Death, and Dennis Hopper"
-
Musk vows DOGE pullback as Tesla profits plungeSpeed Read The Tesla SEO says he will soon step back from government matters to devote more time to the company
-
IMF sees slump from tariffs, Trump tries to calm marketsSpeed Read The International Monetary Fund predicts the U.S. and global economies will slow significantly due to the president's trade war
-
DHS chief Kristi Noem's purse stolen from eaterySpeed Read Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's purse was stolen while she dined with family at a restaurant in Washington, D.C.
-
Trump stands by Hegseth amid ouster reportsSpeed Read The president dismissed reports that he was on the verge of firing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over a second national security breach
-
Hegseth reportedly shared war plans in 2nd group textSpeed Read The defense secretary sent information about an attack in Yemen to a Signal group chat that included his wife and brother
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contemptSpeed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
-
Biden slams Trump's Social Security cutsSpeed Read In his first major public address since leaving office, Biden criticized the Trump administration's 'damage' and 'destruction'
-
El Salvador refuses to return US deporteeSpeed Read President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador said he would not send back the unlawfully deported Kilmar Ábrego García
