US ambassador visits Israeli settlement in West Bank

The US ambassador to Israel on Thursday visited a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank to offer his condolences to relatives of a man killed by a Palestinian, a spokeswoman said. The spokeswoman for the American embassy confirmed that this was ambassador Thomas Nides’ first visit to a settlement since taking up the post, adding that his “position on settlements is quite clear”.

In a January interview Nides told the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot that he would not visit Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank -- widely considered illegal under international law.

Nides was accompanied by Yossi Dagan, the head of the Shomron regional council which administers Jewish settlements in the northern West Bank.

He was visiting the family of Tamir Avihai, a resident of the Kiryat Netafim settlement and one of three victims killed Tuesday in an attack by a Palestinian in Ariel, one of the largest Israeli settler communities in the occupied Palestinian territory.