The U.S. implements fresh penalties against Israeli settlers residing in the West Bank
The United States government has imposed restrictions on more Israeli settlers in the West Bank and urged Israel to confront "extremists." As stated by U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, "The violent actions of extremist settlers in the West Bank result in significant human suffering, jeopardize Israel's security, and hinder the possibility of peace and stability in the region."
The new penalties particularly focus on the Israeli non-profit organization Hashomer Yosh, which, according to its website, serves to "empower numerous farmers in Judea and Samaria, demonstrating courage in safeguarding our land." Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank, is the biblical territory currently occupied by Israel.
The organization is accused by the U.S. State Department of backing an unauthorized settlement near Hebron in the southern West Bank. Reports indicate that volunteers from the group, subject to the new sanctions, obstructed a village this year, forcing its 250 Palestinian residents to vacate.
The U.S. is also imposing sanctions on an individual accused of leading roadblocks and patrols with the objective of assaulting Palestinians. Miller further stressed, "It's essential that the Israeli government holds responsible all individuals and entities involved in the violence against civilians in the West Bank."
Typically, U.S. sanctions against settlers restrict access to the U.S. financial system, often leading Israeli banks to limit interactions with the sanctioned to avoid similar penalties. However, up until now, the U.S. government has avoid imposing sanctions on Israeli ministers backing settlements in the West Bank.
Since the commencement of the conflict between Israel and the Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip in 1967, the state of affairs in the West Bank has significantly worsened. On Wednesday, the Israeli military launched a substantial operation in the West Bank with the intention of "eliminating the Iranian-Islamic terrorist infrastructure" there, according to Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz.
Based on figures provided by AFP citing Palestinian data, at least 650 Palestinians have been slain in West Bank operations by the Israeli military or radical settlers since Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7. According to Israeli figures, at least 19 Israelis have perished as a result of militant Palestinian attacks.
The United States government's sanctions against Hashomer Yosh and an individual in the West Bank are a direct response to their involvement in supporting unauthorized settlements and obstructing Palestinian villages, as stated within the United States of America. These actions by the settlers in the West Bank, primarily Hashomer Yosh, have resulted in significant human suffering and jeopardized the potential for peace and stability in the region.
