Biden imposes sanctions over Israeli settler violence
WASHINGTON: The United States government on Thursday imposed sanctions on four Israeli settlers as President Joe Biden said violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank had reached intolerable levels.
This was said to be a rare move by the United States against Israelis as war rages with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and came as Biden traveled to Michigan, whose sizable Arab-American community has voiced anger over his support for Israel.
Biden issued an executive order defining the groundwork for US measures in response to attacks and “acts of terrorism” in the West Bank, where settlers have rampaged against Palestinians amid the separate military campaign in the Gaza Strip.
“The situation in the West Bank — in particular high levels of extremist settler violence, forced displacement of people and villages, and property destruction — has reached intolerable levels and constitutes a serious threat to the peace, security and stability,” Biden said in the directive.
The State Department later announced restrictions against the four settlers. Any assets they hold in the United States will be blocked, with Americans forbidden from financial transactions with them.
The four include David Chai Chasdai, who was accused of leading a riot in the flashpoint town of Huwara that led to the death of a Palestinian civilian.
Other targets included Yinon Levi, accused of leading a group of settlers from the unauthorized outpost of Meitarim Farm, who have assaulted Palestinian and Bedouin civilians, burned their fields, and destroyed their properties.
“Israel must do more to stop violence against civilians in the West Bank and hold accountable those responsible for it,” said Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has repeatedly raised settler violence with Israel.
Blinken warned against actions that jeopardize the eventual creation of a Palestinian state, an idea that is strongly opposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government, which includes settler advocates.
Israel has criticized the sanctions by its close ally.
“Israel acts against all lawbreakers everywhere, so there is no room for exceptional measures in this regard,” said a statement by Netanyahu’s office.
The action marks the first financial sanctions against settlers, although the Biden administration earlier announced that it would refuse visas for extremists involved in violence.
The Biden administration is also renewing calls for the creation of a Palestinian state, an idea strongly opposed by Netanyahu’s government.