A representative of the U.S. State Department has told Al Arabiya in an email that the Department believes that the July 19 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision, which ruled Israel’s settlements in the West Bank to be illegal, will “complicate efforts” to reach a peace agreement.
“We have been clear that Israel’s program of government support for settlements is both inconsistent with international law and obstructs the cause of peace,” the spokesperson said on July 20 via email. “However, we are concerned that the breadth of the court’s opinion will complicate efforts to resolve the conflict and bring about an urgently needed just and lasting peace, with two states living side-by-side in peace and security,” the message added.
