November 18, 2019 — New York
Reacting to the statement by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO David Harris said:
“The revised U.S. position announced today by Secretary Pompeo relates to a question of international law, which has been repeatedly used as a weapon against Israel on the world stage. We hope the policy shift will prompt a long overdue correction in international perceptions. At the same time, we trust it will not serve as a predicate for increased settlement activity beyond the established blocs widely expected to be recognized as part of Israel in any conceivable two-state compromise.
“The Secretary’s statement that ‘this is a complex political problem that can only be solved by negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians’ has long been AJC’s position regarding the status of the Palestinian territories and of Israeli settlements. In that regard, we continue to look to the U.S. to play a facilitating role in the quest for resumed negotiations.”
