Eighty-five House Democrats demanded the Trump administration pressure Israel to halt construction in the E1 area of the West Bank, warning “the window for meaningful diplomatic intervention is closing rapidly and we believe it is not too late for the United States to act.”
“President Trump has repeatedly claimed to oppose Israeli annexation of the West Bank,” they wrote. “As recently as February of this year, the White House reiterated that ‘President Trump has clearly stated that he does not support Israel annexing the West Bank.’ Construction in E1 is annexation in its clearest form. We urge this administration to take meaningful action to back up this rhetoric,” wrote the members, led by Reps. Mark Pocan and Jan Schakowsky.
The letter comes days after Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich ordered the Civil Administration to begin proceedings to demolish the Palestinian Bedouin community of Khan al-Ahmar, which lies adjacent to the E1 area, in preparation of anticipated Israeli settlement construction.
“Smotrich’s order underscores that the Israeli government is intent on advancing settlements in E1 imminently. These steps are mutually reinforcing and are being advanced concurrently and urgently, a coordinated effort to establish irreversible facts on the ground,” they warned.