Feb 1, 2024. Posted by Balkan Periscope - Hellas
On
Thursday, President Joe Biden of the United States signed a fresh
executive order, approving sanctions against Israeli settlers engaged in
attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Additionally, the
order includes the blacklisting of four individuals involved in such actions.
US President Joe Biden signed a new executive order Thursday authorizing sanctions against Israeli settlers who have been attacking Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, blacklisting four individuals in an initial round of penalties.
The actions
come as settler violence targeting Palestinians across the West Bank has
escalated dramatically, hitting record levels amid Israel's war on the besieged
Gaza Strip. The stark increase in killings, intimidation and displacement
prompted growing pressure from some of Biden's most vocal Democratic allies to
take action.
The
authorities being rolled out bar the individuals from accessing the US
financial system, freezing any property already subject to US jurisdiction, and
bans them from US entry, two senior Biden administration officials, who spoke
on condition of anonymity, said. US nationals are also generally prohibited
from doing business with them.
The State
Department identified them as David Chai Chasdai, Einan Tanjil, Shalom
Zicherman and Yinon Levi.
Chasdai is
being sanctioned for leading a riot in the Palestinian town of Huwara that
resulted in widespread property damage, and assaults on Palestinian civilians
that led to the death of one individual. Tanjil is alleged to have been
involved in assaults on Palestinian farmers and Israeli activists the resulted
in injuries to the victims.
Video
evidence indicates Zicherman assaulted Israeli activists, and attempted to
break their vehicles' windows as they were passing through the West Bank, the
State Department. He then cornered two of the activists and injured them.
Levi is
accused of regularly leading settlers on attacks that create an
"atmosphere of fear" intended to intimidate Palestinian communities
into leaving their homes.
National
Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the violence "poses a grave threat to
peace, security, and stability in the West Bank, Israel, and the Middle East
region, and threatens the national security and foreign policy interests of the
United States."
"Today's
actions seek to promote peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians
alike," he said in a statement.
Sullivan
directed Cabinet officials to policy options for perpetrators of the violence,
and Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced in December visa sanctions
against those determined to have been committing acts of violence. The new
authorities go a step further to include financial measures.
Following
the announcement of the new sanctions, Blinken said Israel "must do more
to stop violence against civilians in the West Bank and hold accountable those
responsible for it."
"The
United States will continue to take actions to advance the foreign policy
objectives of the United States, including the viability of a two-state
solution, and is committed to the safety, security, and dignity of Israelis and
Palestinians alike," he said in a statement.
One of the
officials confirmed that the Biden administration has notified senior Israeli
officials about the actions. He denied reports that the US is considering
sanctions for Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich or National Security
Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir-two firebrand far-right politicians who have been at
the forefront of the settler movement.
"That
is not something that is currently under contemplation," he said.
Israeli
settlers carried out roughly 2,410 attacks against Palestinians and their
properties in the West Bank in 2023, according to official Palestinian
government data. Multiple attacks were reported on Monday alone. Many of the
attacks that have transpired were conducted as Israeli forces looked on.
Israeli
arrests across the West Bank have also soared to 6,460 since Oct. 7 when Hamas
staged a cross-border attack from Gaza that killed an estimated 1,200 people.
A combined
355 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 4,000 others injured in settler
attacks and Israeli raids in the West Bank since the outbreak of the conflict
in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, according to figures released by the Health
Ministry.
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