NEW YORK (VINnews) — In a rare move signifying US displeasure over the repealing of the Disengagement Law in Israel, Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog, was summoned on Tuesday for a meeting with Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman.
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Deputy State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said in a statement that the meeting referred to the new legislation passed in the Knesset.
“The Deputy Secretary conveyed US concern regarding legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset rescinding important aspects of the 2005 Disengagement Law, including the prohibition on establishing settlements in the northern West Bank,” said Patel.
“They also discussed the importance of all parties refraining from actions or rhetoric that could further inflame tensions leading into the Ramadan, Passover, and Easter holidays,” he added, in what could be viewed as a reference to the controversial remarks by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who said at an event in Paris on Sunday that “there is no such thing as a Palestinian people.”
A meeting of this type is very rare in Israel-US relations and constitutes an official diplomatic protest. The Americans usually make sure to convey their messages to Israel without using these types of procedures.
Although the State Department readout did not characterize Tuesday’s meeting as a formal summoning or dressing down of Herzog, a source familiar with the matter said that this was effectively the reason for the urgent summons.
In fact, the meeting came hours after Patel condemned the Knesset’s passage of the amendment repealing the Disengagement from northern Samaria and allowing Jews to return to the four communities which were destroyed there in 2005.
“The United States is extremely troubled that the Israeli Knesset has passed legislation rescinding important parts of the 2005 Disengagement Law, including the prohibition on establishing settlements in the northern West Bank,” Patel said.
Patel claimed that Homesh, one of the four communities, is “illegal” even under Israeli law because it was “built on private Palestinian land.”
He called the move “particularly provocative and counterproductive to efforts for restoring calm” and said that the administration “strongly urges Israel to refrain from allowing the return of settlers to the area covered by the legislation.”
Patel also condemned Smotrich’s remarks in Paris, saying the Biden administration found the Finance Minister’s remarks “to not only be inaccurate but also deeply concerning and dangerous.”
“The Palestinians have a rich history and culture,” Patel said.
Contrary to popular belief, the United States is not a friend of Israel. It’s time for Israel to realize it, and to grow itself less dependant on the US.
By all means, please identify the “rich history and culture” of the “Palestinians.” My Disney+ fantasy channel is down, so I’d love to hear about it!
Wendy sherman is an anti Israel Iranian terror regime supporter. The Biden admin is always ready to condemn Israel yet never condemns the palis, the pali president is in the 18th year of his 4 year term yet the biden admin has never called for democratic elections.
…always instructional when a Jewish woman who worked for Obama on the Iran deal, tells Israel what to do.
The Palestinians have a rich history and culture? Please give me details of their rich culture. The only accomplishments I ever heard of were creating terrorist cells, making bombs, blowing up buses, and murdering Jewish civilians. A very rich culture indeed.
This is a decision by the puppeteers behind the Biden regime, the unseen face of the real president
The US is going to alienate every friend it ever had by pressuring Israel and taking a hard line stance in the Ukraine/Russia conflict and give the field away to China.
Palestinians have a tech history best joke I’ve ever heard lol give me ONE thing besides death and terrorism that the so called Palestinian people are noted for?????
Biden is sending millions of dollars to the pali terror regime to use to pay terrorists who kill Jews, in contravention of US law.
Summoning Israel? Does the U.S. view itself as king over Israel?
Keep on scoliciting fire from the anti semites on the left so we get the following, 1. Immuned to it, 2) we get to see their real faces.