US Embassy in Israel Expanding Consular Services Scope Faces Criticism: Violates Principles of International Law

On the 25th local time, the Palestinian official body “Committee Against the Separation Wall and Settlements” issued a statement saying that the U.S. Embassy in Israel has decided to expand consular services to the Jewish settlement of Efrat in southern the West Bank. This move violates principles of international law and is seen as a de facto support for Israel’s settlement policies. The statement pointed out that, according to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention and relevant UN resolutions, all Israeli Jewish settlements in the West Bank are illegal. The U.S. expansion of consular services contradicts the international community’s principle of “not recognizing the illegal status” and conflicts with its publicly stated support for a two-state solution. The statement emphasized that this move could be viewed as an “administrative normalization” of the settlements, providing them with additional political cover. It called on the U.S. to withdraw the decision and urged the international community to take concrete actions to prevent any measures that could legitimize the settlements. (CCTV News)