WASHINGTON (AP) — On Thursday, President Joe Biden signed an executive order targeting Israeli settlers in the West Bank who have been accused of assaulting Palestinians and Israeli peace activists in the occupied territory. The order includes financial sanctions and visa bans against four individuals. These settlers were involved in violent acts, threats, and attempts to seize Palestinian property, as stated in the order. The penalties aim to restrict the four from using the U.S. financial system and prevent American citizens from engaging with them. U.S. officials are considering whether to penalize others involved in attacks that have escalated during the Israel-Hamas war. Biden’s order represents an unusual move against America’s closest ally in the Mideast, as the President has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to exercise more restraint in its military operations against Hamas.
According to Palestinian authorities, several Palestinians have been killed, and rights groups claim that settlers have set fire to cars and attacked small Bedouin communities, leading to evacuations.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan stated, “This violence poses a serious threat to peace, security, and stability in the West Bank, Israel, and the Middle East region, and jeopardizes the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.”
As casualties rise in the conflict, Biden is facing mounting criticism for his administration’s strong support for Israel, which began when Hamas, the militant group governing Gaza, launched an attack on Israel on October 7. The order highlights that the violence by settlers undermines U.S. foreign policy objectives, including the feasibility of a two-state solution and ensuring equal security, prosperity, and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians.
Biden has renewed efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, a longstanding goal of American presidents and Middle East diplomats. He believes that achieving Palestinian sovereignty after the Israel-Hamas war is crucial for establishing a lasting peace. Throughout his political career, Netanyahu has opposed such a notion and has communicated to U.S. officials that he remains against any post-war plan including the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The Israeli leader quickly denounced the sanctions, stating, “The vast majority of settlers are law-abiding citizens, many of them are currently fighting as conscripts and reservists for the defense of Israel.” He added, “We take action against law-breakers everywhere, and therefore there is no place for exceptional measures in this case.” The State Department, in a statement, 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 additional violence if they did not vacate their homes.Biden has condemned retaliatory attacks by Israeli setters, pledging that those responsible for the violence will be held accountable. In late October, he stated that the violence by “extremist settlers” was like “pouring gasoline” on the already burning fires in the Middle East. He emphasized, “It has to stop. They have to be held accountable. It has to stop now.”
Israel Defense Forces increased raids across the West Bank after the war began. While Hamas militants are present in the West Bank, they primarily operate underground due to Israel’s strict control over the territory. Palestinians have accused the Israeli military of failing to prevent attacks by settlers. During Israel’s wartime mobilization of over 300,000 reservists, settlers were called up for duty, with many tasked with policing their own communities. The military indicated that, in certain cases, settler reservists replaced regular West Bank battalions deployed in the war.
The order will authorize the Treasury Department to impose financial sanctions on settlers engaged in violence, not targeting U.S. citizens. Numerous settlers in the West Bank hold U.S. citizenship and would be prohibited under U.S. law from transacting with the sanctioned individuals. U.S. lawmakers have focused on the role of Americans or dual citizens in settler violence and intimidation. Senator Ben Cardin, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated in a letter last month that there must be a strong message against extreme activities by some settlers in the West Bank, jeopardizing the lives of Palestinians and peace in the region.
The order was first reported by Politico. The Treasury Department issued an alert to financial institutions in conjunction with the executive order, urging them to watch out for transactions benefiting extremist settlers in the West Bank. The alert provides banks with four possible red flags to consider when identifying suspicious transactions to the department. This includes transactions with nonprofits related to “extremist” settlers and groups, memo-line data suggesting support for extremism, and purchasing tactical gear for non-governmental use in the West Bank. The move comes amid growing dissent from Arab and Muslim leaders over the administration’s handling of the war, particularly in Michigan, a critical battleground state. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that officials would engage with community leaders on various issues, including the war. When National Security Council spokesman John Kirby was asked whether the timing of the order was influenced by domestic pressure facing Biden, Kirby responded, “Not at all.”
In December, the State Department announced it would impose travel bans on extremist Jewish settlers involved in recent attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. While individual visa bans were not specified, officials mentioned that the bans would apply to “dozens” of settlers and their families, with more to come if the violence continued.___Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri and Matthew Lee contributed to this report.
