Pompeo visits W. Bank settlements, Golan Heights

WEST BANK: Mike Pompeo on Thursday paid the first visit by a US secretary of state to an Israeli setlement in the occupied West Bank, in a parting show of solidarity with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by the outgoing Trump administration.

Palestinians accused Pompeo, who planned to follow up the visit to the Psagot setlement near occupied Jerusalem with a trip to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights later in the day, of helping Israel cement its hold on West Bank land they seek for a state.

In the West Bank, Pompeo toured the Psagot setlement’s winery — it has named one of its wines ater him.

Before heading to the West Bank, Pompeo met Netanyahu, who praised Trump for recognising occupied Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, which Israel annexed in 1981 in a move few countries have accepted.

“The simple recognition of this (the Golan) as part of Israel, too, was a decision President Trump made that is historically important and simply a recognition of reality,” Pompeo said.

Hanan Ashrawi, a veteran Palestinian negotiator, accused Pompeo of using Trump’s final weeks in office “to set yet another illegal precedent, violate international law and perhaps to advance his own future political ambitions.”

“Pompeo is intoxicated by apartheid wine stolen from Palestinian land. It is opportunistic and self-serving, and it damages the chances for peace,” Ashrawi said.

Pompeo, who announced new US sanctions on Iran while in Israel, said Washington would also step up action against pro-palestinian efforts to isolate Israel economically and diplomatically.

“I want you to know that we will immediately take steps to identify organisations that engage in hateful BDS (Boycot, Divestment and Sanctions) conduct and withdraw US government support,” he said.

“We will regard the global anti-israel BDS campaign as anti-semitic,” Pompeo said.

Us-based Human Rights Watch said Pompeo had falsely equated peaceful support for boycots of Israel with antisemitism.

“Instead of combating systemic racism and far-right extremism in the United States, the Trump administration is undermining the common fight against the scourge of antisemitism by equating it with peaceful advocacy of boycots,” said Eric Goldstein, the group’s acting Middle East and North Africa director.

Meanwhile, President Michel Aoun on Thursday specified Lebanon’s starting point for demarcating its sea border with Israel under Us-mediated talks.