The United States embassy in Jerusalem will begin offering routine passport services in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank for the first time, starting in Efrat and later in Beitar Illit. The move is described as an effort to reach all American citizens in the area. Consular outreach visits are also planned in several other cities, including Ramallah and Haifa.

Israeli settlements in the West Bank are widely regarded by much of the international community as illegal under international law and as obstacles to peace. The decision comes amid recent measures by the Israeli government that make it easier for settlers to take control of Palestinian land, prompting criticism from foreign ministers representing mostly European and Arab countries.

Palestinian officials condemned the embassy's decision, calling it a violation of international law and an endorsement of Israeli control over occupied territory. The announcement follows rising tensions in the West Bank, including increased settlement expansion and violence, as well as the recent killing of a Palestinian American man, which his family says was carried out by settlers.

More than 500,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank, alongside about three million Palestinians. While American Palestinians often face movement restrictions when seeking consular services, American Israelis living in settlements generally do not face the same limitations.