Israel is pressing ahead with its plans to colonize more of the land between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, a settlement that cordons off Jerusalem from the Palestinians. The Givat Hamatos project destroys the two-state solution–even in the eyes of ardent supporters.

Turkey has “strongly condemned” the plans for making the occupation permanent. Britain is “dismayed” by the plan. The EU says flatly that the new settlement is “unacceptable.” France has condemned the Israeli decision:

France condemns the unacceptable decision taken by Jerusalem city hall to create a new settlement at Givat-Hamatos in East Jerusalem. She points out again that colonisation, whether in the West Bank or in East Jerusalem is illegal under the terms of international law.

And the U.S.? The State Department has failed to address the settlement in the last week. But here is spokesperson Victoria Nuland at her press briefing of ten days ago. She will only talk about the matter hypothetically:

QUESTION: Yes. Victoria, could you comment on a report by the Israeli press that the Netanyahu government is gearing up to announce a massive, massive settlement construction on the eve of the Quartet meeting if it ever takes place?

MS. NULAND: We are aware of these reports, plans for the construction of additional housing in East Jerusalem. You’re talking about the housing in Givat Hamatos, right?

QUESTION: Right.

MS. NULAND: Our position on this would not change from what we have said in the past, which is that we believe such actions would be counterproductive to our efforts to resume direct talks between the parties.

QUESTION: Do you think such announcement of such plans is actually intended to sort of sabotage any likelihood for a Quartet meeting?

MS. NULAND: I’m not going to speak to that one way or the other. The Israelis have said that they are ready to come to such a meeting, and we take them at their word.

QUESTION: So forgive me. This has not yet happened —

MS. NULAND: Correct.

QUESTION: — this announcement, right?

MS. NULAND: Correct, right.

QUESTION: So it’s a hypothetical question at the moment?

MS. NULAND: Correct…. This construction, were it to happen, would be within the frame of our policy concern about construction of this type. So it’s not –

QUESTION: All right. Well, would –

MS. NULAND: Our policy isn’t hypothetical on this issue.