Joe Biden has issued an executive order targeting Israeli settlers and peace activists in the West Bank who have been attacking Palestinians in the occupied territory, imposing financial sanctions and visa bans in an initial round against four individuals.
The settlers were involved in acts of violence as well as threats and attempts to destroy or seize Palestinian property, according to the order.
The penalties aim to block the four from using the US financial system and bar American citizens from dealing with them. US officials said they were evaluating whether to punish others involved in attacks which have intensified during the Israel-Hamas war.
Palestinian authorities say some Palestinians have been killed, and rights groups say settlers have torched cars and attacked several small Bedouin communities, forcing evacuations.
“These actions undermine the foreign policy objectives of the United States, including the viability of a two-state solution and ensuring Israelis and Palestinians can attain equal measures of security, prosperity and freedom,” Mr Biden said in the order.
“They also undermine the security of Israel and have the potential to lead to broader regional destabilisation across the Middle East, threatening United States personnel and interests.”
The State Department identified the four settlers and described the accusations against them:
— David Chai Chasdai allegedly led a riot in Huwara in which a Palestinian civilian was killed.
— Einan Tanjil is accused of assaulting Palestinian farmers and Israeli activists.
— Shalom Zicherman was reportedly filmed assaulting Israeli activists in the West Bank.
— Yinon Levi regularly led a group of settlers from the Meitarim Farm outpost who assaulted Palestinian and Bedouin civilians and threatened them with more violence if they did not leave their homes.
The US president is facing growing criticism for his administration’s support of Israel as casualties mount in the conflict, which began when Hamas, the militant group that rules Gaza, attacked Israel on October 7.
His order is a rare step against America’s closest ally in the Middle East which, Mr Biden says, has the right to defend itself, but the Democratic president has pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to show greater restraint in its military operations aimed at rooting out Hamas.
Mr Netanyahu quickly denounced the sanctions, saying: “The vast majority of settlers are law-abiding citizens, many of them these days are fighting as conscripts and reservists for the defence of Israel.”
He said his country “takes action against law-breakers in every place, and therefore there is no place for exceptional steps on this measure”.
Mr Biden has spoken out against retaliatory attacks by Israeli settlers and pledged that those those responsible for the violence will be held accountable.
He said in late October that violence by “extremist settlers” amounted to “pouring gasoline” on the already burning fires in the Middle East. “It has to stop. They have to be held accountable. It has to stop now,” he said.
Israel Defence Forces stepped up raids across the West Bank after the war began. Hamas militants are present in the West Bank, but largely operate underground because of Israel’s tight grip on the territory.
Palestinians have accused the Israeli military of not preventing attacks by settlers or, at times, even protecting the settlers.
US officials said the Israeli government was notified in advance of the sanctions.
The order will give the Treasury Department the authority to impose financial sanctions on settlers engaged in violence, but is not meant to target US citizens. A substantial number of settlers in the West Bank hold US citizenship, and they would be prohibited under US law from transacting with the sanctioned individuals.
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