What Happened With just a single line, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo managed to upend decades of U.S. policy on Israeli settlements. Announcing on Nov. 18 that Washington would no longer join the international community in declaring Israeli settlements illegal, the top U.S. diplomat said, "The establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank is not per se inconsistent with international law." Unsurprisingly, international condemnation was swift. The European Union and Russia rejected the policy change, while the Palestinian Authority went further, saying Washington had "lost all credibility." Arab states like Jordan, Egypt and Syria rebuked the United States for the decision, as did Turkey and Iran. But Gulf Arab states, many of which are exploring new relations with Israel, were more muted in their reaction, with state media holding off on immediate comment. In the United States, the response was largely partisan.