US: Israeli settlements no impediment to peace but may not be helpful

Statement on settlements in Palestinian territory leaves observers split over Trump administration’s intentionThe Trump administration has broken with longstanding US policy by saying Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory are not “an impediment to peace” but cautioned that a further expansion “may not be helpful” to ending the conflict.The comments came after the new US secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, spoke to the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu