The U.S. administration recently ordered the cessation of scientific and technological cooperation with Israeli-claimed territories beyond the Green Line, Kan Reshet Bet public radio reported on Sunday.

This directive means the return to the policy of the Obama administration, which stipulated that there should be no cooperation in geographical areas located beyond the 1967 borders (the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights), these areas being subject to permanent status negotiations. The White House then indicated that such cooperation was "incompatible with the foreign policy of the United States."

The directive was also communicated to Congress a few weeks ago. A U.S. State Department official told Kan that this directive simply reflects the consistent U.S. position over the years, which is reaffirmed by this administration, that the status of geographic areas that were under Israel's control after 5 June 1967 must be determined in a final resolution.

He stressed that the United States continues to work toward negotiations to achieve a two-state solution, where Israel would live in peace and security alongside a viable Palestinian state. The official stressed, however, that the United States values ​​science and technology cooperation with Israel as a "start-up nation", and that this strong collaboration with Israel will continue.