Responding to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Ambassador David Friedman’s statements that backing Israel’s settlements in the occupied West Bank will advance Israeli-Palestinian peace, New Israel Fund CEO Daniel Sokatch released the following statement:

“The Trump Administration’s so-called ‘Pompeo Doctrine’ overturns decades of international consensus and threatens Israelis and Palestinians with a dark future of endless conflict. 

“The Trump Administration appears intent on transforming the U.S.’s role from that of a faithful, honest broker between Israelis and Palestinians to an uncritical backer of an illegal settlement project that puts both democracy and peace in danger.  

“The ‘Pompeo Doctrine’ indicates a radical shift in American foreign policy—toward support for Israel’s threatened annexation of the West Bank. If Netanyahu forces Israel to annex Palestinian territories, even with the backing of the Trump administration, the consequences will be clear: Israelis will no longer live in a democracy.

“The New Israel Fund, our partners on the ground in Israel, and our partners here in the U.S., have been at the forefront of movements opposing Israel’s 52-year occupation for decades. We join groups like J Street and other members of the Progressive Israel Network in representing the vast majority of American Jews whose views reflect the values of democracy and equality for all Israelis. We join with over 100 members of Congress who explicitly reject Pompeo’s soft stance on settlements.

“The vast majority of American Jews and Israelis who seek a brighter, more democratic future in Israel will continue to fight for equality, defend human rights, and promote democracy. Pompeo’s anti-democratic ‘doctrine’ will deter no one.”