between Israel (and Saudi Arabia) and Iran. Trump has focused on crowd-pleasing, grandiose gestures like moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem — a move that eliminated any possibility of diplomacy with the Palestinians; or leaving the Iran nuclear deal, which aggravated tensions with Iran, thereby making the environment considerably less secure for Israel. Much like the neoconservative strategies of the early part of the century, casting those who pursue diplomacy as a threat to security allows hawks to get away with making the region less secure for everyone.
The new normal
In many ways, this decision will mean little on the ground. The U.S. has never really treated the settlements as illegal, only occasionally offering more than a mild objection to Israeli settlement plans. While a few of the most controversial projects — such as the construction of a police station and some roads in the E-1 Corridor, which effectively bisects most of the West Bank — have been temporarily halted by U.S. pressure over the years, most projects have moved ahead eventually, with little more than a clucking of tongues from Washington.
between Israel (and Saudi Arabia) and Iran. Trump has focused on crowd-pleasing, grandiose gestures like moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem — a move that eliminated any possibility of diplomacy with the Palestinians; or leaving the Iran nuclear deal, which aggravated tensions with Iran, thereby making the environment considerably less secure for Israel. Much like the neoconservative strategies of the early part of the century, casting those who pursue diplomacy as a threat to security allows hawks to get away with making the region less secure for everyone.
The new normal
In many ways, this decision will mean little on the ground. The U.S. has never really treated the settlements as illegal, only occasionally offering more than a mild objection to Israeli settlement plans. While a few of the most controversial projects — such as the construction of a police station and some roads in the E-1 Corridor, which effectively bisects most of the West Bank — have been temporarily halted by U.S. pressure over the years, most projects have moved ahead eventually, with little more than a clucking of tongues from Washington.
between Israel (and Saudi Arabia) and Iran. Trump has focused on crowd-pleasing, grandiose gestures like moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem — a move that eliminated any possibility of diplomacy with the Palestinians; or leaving the Iran nuclear deal, which aggravated tensions with Iran, thereby making the environment considerably less secure for Israel. Much like the neoconservative strategies of the early part of the century, casting those who pursue diplomacy as a threat to security allows hawks to get away with making the region less secure for everyone.
The new normal
In many ways, this decision will mean little on the ground. The U.S. has never really treated the settlements as illegal, only occasionally offering more than a mild objection to Israeli settlement plans. While a few of the most controversial projects — such as the construction of a police station and some roads in the E-1 Corridor, which effectively bisects most of the West Bank — have been temporarily halted by U.S. pressure over the years, most projects have moved ahead eventually, with little more than a clucking of tongues from Washington.
between Israel (and Saudi Arabia) and Iran. Trump has focused on crowd-pleasing, grandiose gestures like moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem — a move that eliminated any possibility of diplomacy with the Palestinians; or leaving the Iran nuclear deal, which aggravated tensions with Iran, thereby making the environment considerably less secure for Israel. Much like the neoconservative strategies of the early part of the century, casting those who pursue diplomacy as a threat to security allows hawks to get away with making the region less secure for everyone.
The new normal
In many ways, this decision will mean little on the ground. The U.S. has never really treated the settlements as illegal, only occasionally offering more than a mild objection to Israeli settlement plans. While a few of the most controversial projects — such as the construction of a police station and some roads in the E-1 Corridor, which effectively bisects most of the West Bank — have been temporarily halted by U.S. pressure over the years, most projects have moved ahead eventually, with little more than a clucking of tongues from Washington.
between Israel (and Saudi Arabia) and Iran. Trump has focused on crowd-pleasing, grandiose gestures like moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem — a move that eliminated any possibility of diplomacy with the Palestinians; or leaving the Iran nuclear deal, which aggravated tensions with Iran, thereby making the environment considerably less secure for Israel. Much like the neoconservative strategies of the early part of the century, casting those who pursue diplomacy as a threat to security allows hawks to get away with making the region less secure for everyone.
The new normal
In many ways, this decision will mean little on the ground. The U.S. has never really treated the settlements as illegal, only occasionally offering more than a mild objection to Israeli settlement plans. While a few of the most controversial projects — such as the construction of a police station and some roads in the E-1 Corridor, which effectively bisects most of the West Bank — have been temporarily halted by U.S. pressure over the years, most projects have moved ahead eventually, with little more than a clucking of tongues from Washington.
between Israel (and Saudi Arabia) and Iran. Trump has focused on crowd-pleasing, grandiose gestures like moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem — a move that eliminated any possibility of diplomacy with the Palestinians; or leaving the Iran nuclear deal, which aggravated tensions with Iran, thereby making the environment considerably less secure for Israel. Much like the neoconservative strategies of the early part of the century, casting those who pursue diplomacy as a threat to security allows hawks to get away with making the region less secure for everyone.
The new normal
In many ways, this decision will mean little on the ground. The U.S. has never really treated the settlements as illegal, only occasionally offering more than a mild objection to Israeli settlement plans. While a few of the most controversial projects — such as the construction of a police station and some roads in the E-1 Corridor, which effectively bisects most of the West Bank — have been temporarily halted by U.S. pressure over the years, most projects have moved ahead eventually, with little more than a clucking of tongues from Washington.
