The US and Israeli governments appear to remain at an impasse after two days of talks on Israeli settlement expansion in the Occupied Territories. Israeli Prime Benjamin Netanyahu extended a stay in Washington to return to the White House on Wednesday. But Netanyahu has refused US calls for a settlement freeze, and his government even announced a new East Jerusalem settlement expansion right before the latest talks. Despite objecting to the Israeli plans, the Obama administration has not threatened any punitive measures, including the withholding of billions of dollars in US aid. At the United Nations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reaffirmed his stance that Israeli settlements are illegal.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: “I made it clear that all settlement activity is illegal and that inserting settlers into Palestinian communities in Jerusalem is particularly troubling. This leads to tensions and undermines prospects for addressing the final status of Jerusalem. Yesterday’s announcement that final approval has been given to build twenty settlement units in Sheikh Jarrah is unacceptable.”