CAMERA’s Israel office yesterday prompted correction of a Times of Israel article which incorrectly reported that the United States “had long considered [Israel’s West Bank] settlements illegal under international law” (“PM says he’s in talks with Trump administration over settlement annexation“).
Since the Reagan administration, which explicitly said it did not believe the settlements were illegal, U.S. administrations have instead characterized the settlements as an obstacle to peace and illegitimate. They have not characterized the settlements as “illegal.”
CAMERA has previously prompted correction on this point at a number of media outlets including the Associated Press, The Boston Globe, and also the Times of Israel, in December 2016.
In response to communication from CAMERA, Times of Israel editors commendably fixed yesterday’s error. The amended language now accurately states:
Getting US backing for such a move would be a major shift in policy for the Americans, who have long considered the settlements an impediment to peace, while most of the international community considers them illegal under international law.
Contrary to common journalistic practice, editors did not append a note to the article alerting readers to the change.
For additional Times of Israel corrections prompted by CAMERA, please see here.