Israel plays down White House comments on settlements

This file photo taken on Dec. 28, 2016 shows buildings in Ramat Shlomo, a Jewish settlement in the mainly Palestinian eastern sector of Jerusalem. (AFP)

JERUSALEM: A senior Israeli official played down Friday remarks from the White House that building new or expanding existing settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories 鈥渕ay not be helpful鈥� in securing peace.
In an apparent break from President Donald Trump鈥檚 previously full-throated support of outpost building, White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters on Thursday that the new administration hadn鈥檛 yet taken an official position on settlements.
Responding Friday, Israel鈥檚 ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said Spicer鈥檚 comments didn鈥檛 amount to 鈥渁 U-turn.鈥�
鈥淭he statement is very clear and essentially means: wait for the meeting with (Israeli) Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu, who is arriving in Washington in less than two weeks to meet President Trump, and then we鈥檒l determine our policy,鈥� Danon told Israeli public radio.
Israel has now approved more than 6,000 homes for settlers since Trump took office having signalled a softer stance on settlement construction than predecessor Barack Obama.
鈥淲hile we don鈥檛 believe the existence of settlements is an impediment to peace, the construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful,鈥� Spicer said on Thursday.
Trump is scheduled to welcome Netanyahu to the White House on February 15.
After Israel this week pledged to build a new settlement for the first time in 25 years, Danon implied there might not be further settlement announcements prior to the meeting.
鈥淲e鈥檙e a sovereign country, but you know, two weeks isn鈥檛 a long time, the issue will come up in the conversation, I assume things will be clarified,鈥� he said.
Settlements in both the West Bank and east Jerusalem are viewed as illegal under international law and major stumbling blocks to peace as they are built on land the Palestinians want for their own state.