The Biden administration has reinstated a nearly 50-year-old U.S. legal finding declaring Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories as "illegitimate" under international law. This reversal of the determination made by former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo signifies a departure from the pro-Israel policies of former President Donald Trump. The decision was announced by current Secretary of State Antony Blinken following Israel's plan to construct over 3,300 new homes in West Bank settlements in response to a fatal Palestinian shooting attack.

Blinken's comments, made during a news conference in Buenos Aires, expressed disappointment in the new settlement plan by Israel's finance minister after the recent violent incident. The U.S. stance remains firm on opposing settlement expansion, aligning with the Carter administration-era legal finding that settlements are inconsistent with international law and hinder the path to a lasting peace agreement.

The shift in U.S. policy comes amidst growing tensions between the United States and Israel over recent events in the region, including the war in Gaza and the International Court of Justice's hearings on the legality of the Israeli occupation. While the Biden administration refrained from explicitly labeling this as a reversal, the move signifies a return to longstanding U.S. policy on settlements, dating back to the 1978 "Hansell Memorandum," penned by State Department legal adviser Herbert Hansell.

The decision to restore the finding on the illegitimacy of Israeli settlements reflects the Biden administration's efforts to realign its Middle East strategy and address international criticism of Israel's actions in the region.