US considers the West Bank to be territory occupied by Israel: US State Department

Washington: – The US State Department spokesman, Ned Price, stated, ‘The West Bank is a territory occupied by Israel, which is the stand of the Biden administration.’ Price clarified that the United States had the same stand in the matter even before the Biden administration. Two days ago, the United States withdrew the sanctions imposed on the international court. A year ago, the Trump administration had imposed sanctions against the international court, accusing that the international court is anti-Israel. A message that the Biden administration will not be taking a stand favouring Israel is being delivered through these actions.

At the beginning of this week, the US State Department published a report regarding human rights. The report has a separate mention of Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. But inside the report, it refers to West Bank as ‘Israel occupied West Bank’. State Department spokesman, Ned Price, clarified the stand of the Biden administration in this respect.

Price clarified, ‘It is a historical fact that Israel occupied Golan Hills, Gaza and West Bank in the 1967 war. The previous US administrations and both the parties had the same stand in this matter, and the Biden administration is continuing the same position.’ Price avoided talking about the refugee camps built for the Jewish people in the West Bank.

US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said that the Biden administration would not withdraw the status awarded to Jerusalem by the previous Trump administration as the capital of Israel. Blinken announced that the Biden administration would make efforts to make Israel take the initiative for a free Palestine.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration withdrew the sanctions imposed against the international court for blaming Israel for being responsible for war crimes. Israeli media has expressed regret over the US decision. But political movements are going on in Israel for government formation. Therefore, Israel has not reacted regarding the US decisions.