Widespread Palestinian Condemnation of Washington's Decision to Provide Consular Services Inside West Bank Settlements

Palestinian forces and factions condemned the announcement by the US Embassy in occupied Jerusalem of its intention to provide official consular services inside an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank. This step is the first of its kind in the history of American diplomatic dealings with settlements, sparking widespread anger in Palestinian circles, which viewed it as crossing red lines.

The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) denounced this measure, describing it as a dangerous precedent that represents a practical recognition of the legitimacy of Israeli settlement on Palestinian lands. In a press statement, the movement affirmed that providing services in the 'Efrat' settlement, built on Bethlehem lands, entrenches the actual control of the occupation over the West Bank.

The movement indicated that the new American decision exposes the significant contradiction in Washington's policy, which officially claims to oppose the annexation of the West Bank while practically supporting the consolidation of Israeli sovereignty. It considered that this step aims to impose new political realities seeking to liquidate Palestinian national rights and violate international law that criminalizes settlement.

For its part, the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission affirmed that the decision represents a clear violation of the provisions of international humanitarian law and the peremptory norms that prohibit institutional dealing with settlement entities. The commission clarified that this trend reflects a clear favoritism towards the occupation authorities by granting settlements unprecedented political and diplomatic cover.

The head of the commission, Moayad Shaaban, said that this step completely contradicts the declared international commitments to support the two-state solution, as it contributes to entrenching a settlement reality that prevents the establishment of a Palestinian state. Shaaban warned against attempts to redefine the occupied territory as an administrative area amenable to diplomatic normalization, which transforms military control into implicit political recognition.

In a related context, PLO Executive Committee member Wasel Abu Youssef stated that the US administration has begun to deal with settlements as an integral part of Israel. Abu Youssef considered the embassy's announcement to be an undeclared American approval of the West Bank plans that the occupation government seeks to implement.

In turn, the Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative Party, Mustafa Barghouti, described the decision as an unprecedented shift in US policy towards the Palestinian issue. Barghouti explained that the Trump administration has moved from the traditional position opposing settlement to a stage of acceptance and direct dealing with settlements as a fait accompli.

Barghouti warned that the absence of tangible practical measures to confront these decisions would encourage Israel to proceed with its Zionist project to Judaize the West Bank. He added that the United States is giving the green light to the occupation to continue its annexation policies, which eliminates any remaining opportunity for achieving a just peace in the region.

The US Embassy announced on Tuesday evening its intention to provide passport and citizenship services to American citizens residing in the 'Efrat' settlement south of Bethlehem. The embassy clarified that consular affairs staff would begin providing these services next Friday, in a field step that reflects a fundamental change in diplomatic protocol.

The American plan also includes organizing field visits by consular staff over the next two months to other settlements, including the 'Beitar Illit' settlement. These moves come despite the fact that the United Nations and the international community classify these settlements as illegal entities established on lands occupied in 1967.

This timing raises many questions, especially since US President Donald Trump had previously stated earlier this month his opposition to Israeli annexation steps. However, the recent consular measures indicate a gap between political statements and administrative practices on the ground in the occupied West Bank.

It is worth noting that the 'Efrat' settlement is located within the 'Gush Etzion' settlement bloc, a strategic area connecting Jerusalem and Hebron, and is considered one of the most prominent settlement blocs that Israel seeks to annex. Palestinians affirm that any recognition of these settlements represents a stab in the back of international legitimacy and relevant Security Council resolutions.

This decision reveals the blatant contradiction in the positions of the United States, which claims to reject the annexation of the West Bank while taking practical steps that strengthen Israeli sovereignty.