In Another Sign of Growing Tensions, Biden Admin Summons Israeli Ambassador over Bill Repeal

In a rare move, the Biden administration summoned Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog over a bill striking down parts of a “discriminatory and humiliating” 2005 law that call into question Israel’s historical right to the land.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told Herzog (pictured) during the summons at the State Department that the decision to “rescind important aspects of the 2005 Disengagement Law, including the prohibition on establishing settlements in the northern West Bank,” could further “inflame tensions leading into the Ramadan, Passover, and Easter holidays.”

The summons comes on the heels of scathing statements about the new legislation from State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel, who said the Biden administration was “extremely troubled” by the “particularly provocative” legislation.

Likud MK in response said: “We have no problem clarifying to the United States in every conversation in which we are invited that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people.”

“They are welcome to invite us to clarify this at any time. We are available and happy to do so.”

The 2005 Disengagement Law triggered the last wave of large-scale protests that roiled Israel. Israel evacuated 21 Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip and four settlements in the West Bank. The Hamas terror group subsequently took over the Gaza Strip and it has become a hotbed of terror ever since, resulting in more than a decade and half of rocket fire into Israel.

The Knesset on Tuesday voted 31-18 to repeal parts of the Disengagement Law that forbid Israelis from entering the four West Bank communities that were part of the withdrawal, which are currently closed military zones. The law is mostly symbolic and there are no plans to resettle Jewish Israelis there.

Commenting on Herzog’s summons, National Unity MK and former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot noted that the last summoning of an Israeli ambassador by the U.S. “was many, many years ago.”

The move “indicates the magnitude of the government’s violation as perceived by the Americans” and that “it will take a very long time to rebuild and restore the damage to the relations and trust between Israel and the U.S,” Eizenkot told 103FM.