The White House issued the strongest condemnation anyone can remember of a new Israeli settlement, as “deeply troubling” and “disheartening” and a violation of Israel’s promises. The statement from the State Department’s Mark Toner on Wednesday reads a bit more like an angry rant than a statement– he points out that the U.S. just gave Israel a $38 billion aid package, and this is how you thank us. He also says the announcement dishonors Shimon Peres’s legacy and reveals Israel’s determination to cement the “one-state reality of perpetual occupation.”

About time, you might say. With just 100 days or so left in the Obama administration… And no need to raise money from the Israel lobby.

This is a settlement being built for the families of Amona, an existing settlement deep in the West Bank that Israeli authorities acknowledged was built on Palestinian-owned land. The UN condemned the new settlement yesterday. Here is the statement from State:

Approval of New West Bank Settlement We strongly condemn the Israeli government’s recent decision to advance a plan that would create a significant new settlement deep in the West Bank.

Proceeding with this new settlement, which could include up to 300 units, would further damage the prospects for a two state solution. The retroactive authorization of nearby illegal outposts, or redrawing of local settlement boundaries, does not change the fact that this approval contradicts previous public statements by the Government of Israel that it had no intention of creating new settlements. And this settlement’s location deep in the West Bank, far closer to Jordan than Israel, would link a string of outposts that effectively divide the West Bank and make the possibility of a viable Palestinian state more remote. It is deeply troubling, in the wake of Israel and the U.S. concluding an unprecedented agreement on military assistance designed to further strengthen Israel’s security, that Israel would take a decision so contrary to its long term security interest in a peaceful resolution of its conflict with the Palestinians. Furthermore, it is disheartening that while Israel and the world mourned the passing of President Shimon Peres, and leaders from the U.S. and other nations prepared to honor one of the great champions of peace, plans were advanced that would seriously undermine the prospects for the two state solution that he so passionately supported. Israelis must ultimately decide between expanding settlements and preserving the possibility of a peaceful two state solution. Since the recent Quartet report called on both sides to take affirmative steps to reverse current trends and advance the two state solution on the ground, we have unfortunately seen just the opposite. Proceeding with this new settlement is another step towards cementing a one-state reality of perpetual occupation that is fundamentally inconsistent with Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state. Such moves will only draw condemnation from the international community, distance Israel from many of its partners, and further call into question Israel’s commitment to achieving a negotiated peace.

The White House also slammed the Israelis. At his press briefing yesterday, Josh Earnest all but accused Netanyahu of betraying the Obama administration, just when it signed the new aid deal and everyone was mourning Shimon Peres. The announcement did “provoke strong feelings,” Earnest said:

we did receive public assurances from the Israeli government that contradict this announcement. And that’s — I guess when we’re talking about how good friends treat one another, that that’s a source of serious concern, as well.

This is the second time in a week, the White House has growled at Israel. The first time was when the White House issued a transcript of President Obama’s speech at the Shimon Peres funeral, mistakenly datelined Jerusalem, Israel, and an hour later or so reissued it with the word Israel crossed out. Because the U.S. does not recognize the annexation of Jerusalem.

Settlement-watcher Daniel Seidemann says there’s a new, angry theme in today’s announcement: “The United States addresses Israel’s security interests as never before – Netanyahu responds by undermining those interests.”

There was extended conversation about the statement at the State Department yesterday. Most of it involved the fact that this has long been U.S. policy, and the only action here is to make Israel “feel bad.” When are you actually going to do something about these violations of policy; and why are we giving the Israelis money when they do this to us?