Diplomats: US Adopting More Critical Tone on Israeli Settlements

Israel Expected to Be 'Infuriated' by Upcoming Report

According to diplomats familiar with the situation, an upcoming report from the Quartet will both condemn the Palestinian Authority for failing to rein in anti-Israel violence and offer an unusually harsh criticism of the Israeli government for expansion of settlements in the occupied territories.

The US is seen as the driving force behind this “tougher tone” on the settlements, and had previously been the nation among the Quartet most aggressively trying to prevent them from criticizing Israel too much over anything.

Officials are said to believe Israel will be “infuriated” by the new report, and many are said to be preparing themselves for the inevitable Israeli backlash. The report will be unveiled in late May or early June, and might be sent to the UN Security Council, though it does not require any action on anyone’s part.

Still, Israel expects the US, as a matter of course, to veto any UN Security Council; resolution even a bit critical of their behavior, and if the US is behind the measure, they almost certainly won’t also veto it. Having the Quarter offer criticism on both sides, officials hope, will satisfy the Palestinians, who have long complained about one-sided reports.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.