Obama Criticizes New Israel Settlements

While meeting for the first time in a while, President Obama told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the White House has deep concerns over a new Israeli plan to build 2,600 settler homes in East Jerusalem. “The United States is deeply concerned by reports the Israeli government has moved forward” with planning for settlements in a “sensitive area” of East Jerusalem, Press Secretary Josh Earnest said. He argued it would put distance between Israel and its allies, but also “poison the atmosphere.” The president also talked about Gaza, saying, “We have to find ways to change the status quo so that both Israeli citizens are safe in their own homes and schoolchildren in their schools, from the possibility of rocket fire, but also that we don’t have the tragedy of Palestinian children being killed as well.”