ISRAEL
Are the settlements in Israel illegal? Previously, the President previously said the country not in compliance with recognized international law. But now, according to Secretary of State Pompeo, the US is revisiting the issue and has decided the “ground truth” is that Israel’s settlement’s are, in fact, not illegal per se.
The Israeli courts are quite capable of making determinations about particular settlements, he pointed out. Resolution of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians “is going to be a political resolution, Pompeo added. “We want to create the maximum space for that political resolution. And so our legal conclusion we think facilitates the – an increased likelihood that we can ultimately see a political resolution between Israel and the Palestinian people.”
IRAN
The Trump Administration continues to deny Iran the means to conduct terrorist activities, according to Pompeo. In response to recent events where over 100 protesters were shot by the Iranian government, the State Department said its efforts to contain Iran’s illegal behavior are continuing unabated. Pompeo said Washington intends to deny the kleptocrats in charge of the Iranian regime, “the resources to foment terror and to, frankly, punish their own citizens as well, and to put their citizens at risk by underwriting Hizballah and Shia militias in Iraq. So that’s been our effort, our international effort.”
The Islamic Republic of Iran leadership’s recent decision about removing some of the gas subsidies fomented significant political protests against the regime leadership. The government in Tehran also shut off the internet “so that they could engage in activities essentially in the dark, without communications. And second, they instigated a political crackdown,” noted Pompeo. He said that while Washington could not yet verify the numbers several international human rights groups have reported that at least 100 were killed by the regime.
Unlike the Obama Administration, President Trump’s has not refrained from sending out messages of support to the protesters. Pompeo pointed out that the President is “not fueling those regime thugs by providing them resources, while the previous administration put $150 million in an airplane and sent it across to the Iranians. We have done everything we can to deny the regime the resources they need to foment this bad behavior and their imperialist tendencies all around the region.”
A brief about Titanic K2 capsules These capsules rescue all the males suffering buy cialis in canada from the problem of low libido. Another reason why erection is not firm enough to last the duration of sex. valsonindia.com orden 50mg viagra Few of the indications include things like: swelling of face, location and also tongue; difficulty throughout deep breathing, swelling while in the breasts, ache inside chest, eye sight issues viagra online for women as well as faintness. They do not like to share this problem with their doctors cialis professional no prescription too.HONG KONG
When the Chinese government made a commitment to the people of Hong Kong in 1997 that upon becoming part of China, they would still adhere to a set of rules labelled “one country, two systems.” Beijing agreed at the time to guarantee the set of basic law freedoms for the people of Hong Kong. Pompeo said that Washington’s request to the Chinese Communist Party leadership, General Secretary Xi, is that he “honor the commitment that China made to those people.”
The protesters in Hong Kong, according to Pompeo, “simply want Chinese Government in Beijing to honor the promises that were made to them, and President Trump has said very clearly we want there to be no violence on either side. We want Beijing to handle the situation politically, to resolve this conflict in a way that reflects the basic understanding of one country and two systems, and honor the autonomy that the Hong Kong people are permitted under what China – the Chinese Government of Beijing promised to them.”
The world is watching political developments in Hong Kong as they continue festering with ongoing protests and crackdowns by Beijing. Pompeo added that “We’re all trying to find a political resolution to these protests and the demands of the people there in Hong Kong, and we hope that that happens. In the event that – I think President Trump said – in the event that there was a hand that was too heavy or there was violence that wasn’t reflective of an appropriate response, I think President Trump has said, boy, makes it much harder for him or for anyone to deal with Beijing in trade or other issues….” The Secretary added he is hopeful that this won’t be the case and that there is a positive outcome.
DARIA NOVAK served in the United States State Department during the Reagan Administration, and currently is on the Board of the American Analysis of News and Media Inc., which publishes usagovpolicy.com and the New York Analysis of Policy and Government. Each Saturday, she presents key updates on U.S. foreign policy from the State Department.
Illustration: Pixabay