The United States will begin providing in-person passport services at the Israeli settlement of Efrat in the West Bank on February 27, according to the US Embassy in Jerusalem.
This move marks the first time the US has provided consular services to a settlement in the West Bank, as stated by a US embassy spokesperson.
The Efrat settlement, located between the Palestinian towns of Bethlehem and Hebron, is home to many American immigrants, including estimated tens of thousands of dual US-Israeli nationals.
Expansion of Consular Services
The US Embassy in Jerusalem also plans to offer similar on-site services in the Palestinian city of Ramallah, the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit near Bethlehem, and in cities within Israel, such as Haifa.
Currently, the US offers passport and consular services at its embassy in West Jerusalem as well as at a Tel Aviv branch office.
International Law and Settlements
Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, where 3 million Palestinians reside, are considered illegal under international law, with the International Court of Justice estimating that about 465,000 Israeli settlers live in the occupied Palestinian territory.
The US Embassy's decision to provide consular services in Efrat comes amid recent measures by the Israeli government to expand control over the occupied West Bank and claim large tracts of Palestinian territory as Israeli state property.
Regional Context
Far-right Israeli politicians have called for increased settlement expansion or even annexation of the Palestinian territory, while the Israeli military maintains control over much of the West Bank, with limited Palestinian self-government in some areas.
According to the United Nations, at least 694 Palestinians were driven from their homes in the West Bank in January due to Israeli settler violence and harassment, the highest number since October 2023.
Source: Al Jazeera
