[ ]J Street [ ]
The Netanyahu Government’s Destructive Actions Are Out of Control. Here’s How
the Biden Administration Should Respond.

In the face of continued escalatory and provocative actions from the
far-right Netanyahu government, the Biden Administration is rightly
becoming increasingly alarmed and frustrated.

On Tuesday, [ [link removed] ]the Knesset passed new legislation that rescinded key
sections of Israel’s 2005 Disengagement Law, permitting the establishment
of Israeli settlements in areas of the occupied West Bank that were
evacuated by then-prime minister Ariel Sharon. This act directly violated
commitments made by Sharon to President George W. Bush, as well as more
recent promises made by the Netanyahu government to the Biden
Administration, Palestinian officials, Egypt and Jordan.

In addition to sharply condemning this legislation violating those
commitments as “particularly provocative,” the Administration responded by
[ [link removed] ]summoning Israel’s ambassador to a meeting with Deputy Secretary of
State Wendy Sherman. The Deputy Secretary officially conveyed US concern
and disappointment and warned against further incendiary action.

This clear and public show of frustration and concern is rare -- but in
this moment, deeply important and necessary.

At a time when the Netanyahu government continues to press ahead with acts
of annexation and deepening occupation, as well as with its
anti-democratic assault on Israel’s independent judiciary and the rule of
law, the US needs to stand up firmly for shared interests and democratic
values. It needs to show unequivocal support for and the rights of both
Israelis and Palestinians, for international law, and for the long-term
hopes for a peaceful two-state resolution to the conflict.

Sadly, we in the pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy movement know that
even clear, public disagreement won’t be enough to deter the
pro-settlement, ultra-nationalist extremists who now dominate Netanyahu’s
government.

That’s why, in the immediate term, J Street is urging the Biden
Administration to take the following tangible steps:

* Expressly revoke the so-called "[ [link removed] ]Pompeo Doctrine" and restore
long-held, bipartisan US policy that the settlements in the occupied
West Bank are inconsistent with international law;
* Reinforce US and international differentiation between Israel and the
West Bank through steps like restoring the longstanding bipartisan
[ [link removed] ]customs guidance on accurate labeling of West Bank goods and
ensuring American taxpayer dollars for bilateral research do not fund
projects in the settlements; and
* Make clear that use of US-origin military equipment or aid in
connection with acts toward annexation like the establishment of new
settlements, evictions, demolitions, forced relocations and the
construction of civilian infrastructure designed to benefit settlers
could trigger investigations into whether such use constituted a
violation of existing US arms export control or aid law.

Again and again, we’ve seen this far-right government break promises and
understandings, moving ahead with destructive policies even as violence
against Israelis and Palestinians continues to surge and the situation on
the ground continues to deteriorate. We’ve seen them continue to advance
so-called “judicial reform” measures even in the face of a mass Israeli
protest movement and warnings of social and economic collapse.

[ [link removed] ]As Senator Chris Van Hollen said to Secretary of State Blinken in a
Senate Appropriations Committee hearing today, "It seems to me that we
look very weak when we continually make statements without any kind of
consequence."

The Senator is absolutely right. Only by establishing clear red lines and
potential consequences can the US hope to effectively deter further
destructive actions and prevent further violent escalation against
Israelis or Palestinians.

We call on the Biden Administration to take the firm action necessary to
truly stand up to the Netanyahu government’s far-right agenda. Only with
that determined approach can they truly uphold our two countries’ shared
values and interests, and help secure Israel’s future as a democratic
homeland for the Jewish people.


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J Street is the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy
Americans who want Israel to be secure, democratic and the national home of the
Jewish people. Working in American politics and the Jewish community, we
advocate policies that advance shared US and Israeli interests as well as Jewish
and democratic values, leading to a two-state solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.



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