Israel Defies US Concerns Over West Bank Settlements

A senior Israeli official rejected US claims that Israel violated commitments made to the US by voting to repeal parts of the 2005 Disengagement Law. The official claimed that the US violated an agreement made between then-president George W. Bush and then-prime minister Ariel Sharon regarding construction in settlement blocs. The official also denied that the summoning of Israeli Ambassador to the US Mike Herzog marked a deterioration in ties between the US and Israel. The official blamed the opposition for misinforming world Jewry about the judicial overhaul, which critics argue will remove essential checks on executive and legislative power.