Israeli right-wing activists and settlers take part in a protest march at the West Bank outpost of Homesh in Dec. 2021. Photo: Ilia Yefimovich/picture alliance via Getty Images
The Biden administration harshly criticized an Israeli law passed on Monday in the Israeli Knesset that repeals the 2005 Israeli disengagement from the northern occupied West Bank, calling it a "provocation" and a violation of commitments Israel made to the U.S.
Why it matters: The law allows Israeli citizens to enter the area between the cities of Jenin and Nablus, which Israeli settlers evacuated in 2005. The law could dramatically increase the potential for friction between settlers and Palestinians in the most sensitive and volatile area of the occupied West Bank.
Flashback: During the 2005 Israeli disengagement from Gaza, Israel also evacuated four settlements in the northern West Bank and banned Israelis from entering the area.
Behind the scenes: The law wasn’t pushed by the government but was a private bill initiated by Yuli Adelstein, a lawmaker from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud who is the chair of the Knesset foreign relation and security committee.
What they're saying: State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said at the start of the daily briefing that the Biden administration is extremely troubled by the law and the fact it could lead to the rebuilding of settlements and outposts in this area.
What to watch: Patel told reporters the Biden administration is considering several options it could take to respond to the Israeli government policy in the West Bank.