President Joe Biden has issued an executive order targeting Israeli settlers in the West Bank after the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old American citizen last month. The order focuses on settlers who have engaged in violence, intimidation, and property destruction leading to the forced displacement of Palestinian communities. The sanctions primarily involve visa restrictions for foreign nationals, including some who have already been prosecuted in Israel. The decision to impose these sanctions was made in response to the death of Tawfic Hafeth Abdel Jabbar. He was shot and killed during a visit to the West Bank to learn about his Palestinian heritage, and his family believes he was the victim of settler violence.
The National Security Council expressed serious concern over the teenager’s death, and the White House emphasized its opposition to actions that undermine stability in the West Bank, such as attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians. The State Department had previously announced a travel ban on some settlers after a series of attacks. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the need for the Israeli government to hold extremist settlers accountable for their violent actions. The Biden administration has consistently opposed settler attacks against Palestinians and Palestinian attacks against Israelis.
As settler violence continued, the White House reiterated its concern and opposition to the violence perpetrated by settlers with extreme views. Meanwhile, Israel’s finance minister, Benjamin Smotrich, dismissed allegations of settler violence as an “anti-semitic lie” and criticized the Biden government for cooperating with it. He also expressed his commitment to developing Jewish settlements, even if it means facing American sanctions. Additionally, Israeli settlers have called for the resettlement of Gaza and have been involved in public statements urging this cause, despite public condemnation from the White House and State Department.
The tensions between settlers and Palestinians have led to violent clashes in the West Bank in recent years. Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, settler violence has been prevalent in the region, resulting in numerous Palestinian casualties at the hands of security forces and settlers. The United Nations reported cases of international activists being injured by armed settlers in the area. The Gaza Health Ministry reported a high number of casualties in Gaza since the outbreak of the conflict, with thousands killed as a result.
