Mike Pompeo says the U.S. is now okay with Israeli settlements in the West Bank

The United States is changing its tune when it comes to Israeli settlements in the West Bank, bucking international consensus in the process.

"The establishment of Israeli civilian settlements is not, per se, inconsistent with international law," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters during a press conference Monday.

The statement indicates that the U.S. will take a softer stance on the matter going forward, which is becoming a trend for the Trump administration in matters related to the Israeli-Palestine conflict. Reuters notes that the latest announcement follows Washington's 2017 decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and 2018 decision to move the U.S. embassy to the city.

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Unsurprisingly, Pompeo's words were not received warmly among Palestinians. Hanan Ashrawi, a veteran Palestinian negotiator and member of the Palestine Liberation Organization's Executive Committee, criticized the announcement on Twitter.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the other hand, was pleased by the decision, which is viewed as a victory for his camp as he struggles to remain in power in Israel.

The new stance could be risky for the Trump administration, though, as it's likely to alienate other foreign powers, including the European Union. That could subsequently make it even more difficult for the White House to carry out its Middle East peace plan. Tim O'Donnell