US said to protest to Bennett’s office against settlement construction plans

The Biden administration has protested to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s office against Israeli plans to build new homes in West Bank settlements, the Walla news site reports.

Citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, the report says the US Embassy’s charge d’affaires, Michael Ratney, phoned Bennett’s diplomatic adviser Shimrit Meir last week to say the administration views Israel’s advancement of new settlement units severely.

Ratney reportedly said the US was particularly concerned that many of the homes due to be approved are located outside the so-called settlement blocs.

“This was a difficult conversation,” one of the sources is quoted as saying.

Both the Prime Minister’s Office and US State Department refused to comment on what is discussed behind closed doors between the countries.