Welcome back to Foreign Policy’s Situation Report.
Here’s what’s on tap for the day: Rising settler violence in the West Bank, the CIA director’s visit to Moscow, and North Korea’s disinterest in meeting with Trump.
Violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank is spiraling out of control, and the Israeli government is facing growing global criticism—including allegations that it has poured fuel on the fire by embracing far-right policies and ignoring the problem. Settlers have clashed with Israeli forces in some instances, but the military has also been accused of standing by during attacks on Palestinians. Top rights groups have characterized settler violence in the West Bank as state-sanctioned ethnic cleansing.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has given unprecedented support for the expansion of West Bank settlements, which are illegal under international law. The push for more settlements has been driven by far-right Israeli politicians such as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who have been sanctioned by governments including the United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, Canada, and New Zealand for “their repeated incitement of violence against Palestinian civilians.”
