Top U.S. officials reacted with extreme concern Monday over Israel's decision to legalize nine outposts in the West Bank and turn them into new settlements, a move that had previously been illegal under Israeli law.
"We are deeply troubled," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a State Department announcement. In Blinken's words, the action by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government will"exacerbate tensions and undermine the prospects for a negotiated two-state solution," something previous U.S. administrations of both parties have sought to avoid.The United States had previously made clear its objections to the move, per Axios.
More than half a million Israelis live in the 200 settlements built on Palestinian land, which is considered illegal under international law, according to the Qatari news outlet.
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