(CNN) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday announced a major reversal of the US' longstanding policy on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank , rejecting a 1978 State Department legal opinion that deemed the settlements "inconsistent with international law." Under international law, the West Bank is seen as occupied territory, a conclusion Israel disputes. "Israeli settlements steal Palestinian land, seize and exploit Palestinian natural resources, and divide, displace and restrict the movement of the people of Palestine. What that means, Telhami said, is that when Pompeo declares the Trump administration policy simply recognizes "realities," it is rewarding the stronger party. Policy movesFriedman and Kushner were supporters of Israeli settlements before the Trump administration took power.

Source: CNN November 18, 2019 19:58 UTC