US announces sanctions on Israeli settlers over West Bank violence
The United States has announced new sanctions on several Israeli settlers and affiliated groups, accusing them of involvement in violence or threats of violence targeting civilians, seizure of property or other actions that threaten security in the occupied West Bank.
The sanctions announced by the US Department of State and the Department of the Treasury on Thursday target Israeli individuals Isachar Manne, Reut Ben Haim, and Aviad Shlomo Sarid, and four illegal Israeli settlement outposts; Manne Farm, Meitarim Farm, Hamahoch Farm, and Neriya’s Farm.
The US also blacklisted Lehava, an umbrella group for Israeli settlers, which it described as the “largest violent extremist organization in Israel” with more than 10,000 members.
“The United States remains deeply concerned about extremist violence and instability in the West Bank, which undermines Israel’s own security,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement on Thursday.
“We strongly encourage the Government of Israel to take immediate steps to hold these individuals and entities accountable. In the absence of such steps, we will continue to impose our own accountability measures.”
The sanctions freeze any assets held by those targeted in US jurisdictions and block Americans from doing business with them.
Lehava swiftly criticised the US designation and President Joe Biden, saying the group will not stop its actions.
“Biden’s measures won’t deter us – we’ll continue to act fearlessly to save Israel’s daughters, much to the dismay of Biden and Israel’s other enemies,” it said.
The EU had already placed Lehava on its asset freeze and visa ban blacklist for their attacks on Palestinians earlier this year.
The West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, has seen a surge in violence in the past year, particularly since Israel’s war on Gaza erupted in October.
Since then, at least 553 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the territory, and 9,510 have been detained, according to Palestinian officials.
About 3 million Palestinians live in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and more than 500,000 Israelis reside in more than 100 settlements across the territory.
In early July, Israeli NGO Peace Now reported that Israel’s government had approved 5,295 new housing units in a host of illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank and had recognised three new settlement outposts.
The expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank, deemed illegal under international law, is often cited as the main barrier to any lasting peace agreement with Palestinians under a two-state solution.
Source: Al Jazeera
