Orthodox US rabbis denounce letter against new US settlement policy
An association of over 1,000 American Orthodox rabbis has strongly criticized a letter sent by a group of 107 Democratic members of the US House of Representatives opposing the Trump administration’s new policy on Israeli settlements.
Earlier this month US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the US government no longer considers Israeli settlements illegal per se, a decision that was warmly welcomed in Israel but was criticized by others as a step that would encourage increased settlement construction and settlement annexation, which could further damage the chances of reaching a peace settlement based on the twostate solution.
In the letter written by the Democratic congressmen to Pompeo, they stated that “settlement expansion into the occupied West Bank makes a contiguous Palestinian state inviable”; said such a move jeopardized “Israel’s future as a secure, democratic homeland for the Jewish people”; constituted “a tacit endorsement of settlements, their expansion, and associated demolitions of Palestinian homes”; and said it “disregards” the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibiting occupying powers from deporting or transferring their civilian population into the territory it occupies.”
The Coalition for Jewish Values strongly objected to the arguments put forward by the Democrats and rejected the assertions made in their letter to Pompeo.
The rabbis of CVJ said that the letter “incorrectly describes the area of Judea and Samaria as ‘occupied,’” arguing instead that it was “voluntarily ceded by the United Kingdom and illegally seized by Jordan in 1948,” and that by extension the Fourth Geneva Convention does not apply.
CVJ also insisted that UN Resolution 242 required Israel to withdraw from only part of territories Israel captured in 1967 and only in the context of a lasting peace agreement, noting that this is yet to happen.
“There is abundant room in Judea and Samaria for people to reside there in peace – the entirely new Arab city of Rawabi is home to over 4,000, and is still under construction with active support from Israel,” the rabbis continued.
“It is regrettable that you signed a letter that undermines America’s most steadfast ally, a country which has always sought peace,” they told the Democratic congressmen.
“We must ask that your letter be withdrawn in its current form, as it could do great harm to Israel’s security and sovereignty, and injures rather than enhances the likelihood of establishing a just and lasting peace.”