US orders sanctions on Israeli settlers in occupied West Bank

The United States has imposed sanctions on some Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank, as the war in the Gaza Strip continues.

On Thursday, the US President issued sanctions on four Israeli men it accused of being involved in settler violence in occupied Palestinian territory.

The sanctions come as President Joe Biden conceded that the level of violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank was getting out of hand.

Woop-dee-doo. Biden imposes meaningless sanctions against four Israeli settlers. If he sanctioned the Israeli gov't for facilitating settler violence against Palestinians, that would be something. And, no, this doesn't let Biden off the hook for aiding and abetting genocide.

— Josh Ruebner (@joshruebner) February 1, 2024

𝗕𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡 𝗘𝗡𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗦 𝗦𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗦𝗥𝗔𝗘𝗟𝗜 𝗦𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗦

President Biden ordered broad financial and travel sanctions on Israeli settlers accused of violent attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank. The move is a forceful gesture aimed, in… pic.twitter.com/z8k4Up95cd

— Bangladesh News 24 (@bdnews24) February 2, 2024

Good that Biden will impose targeted sanctions on Israeli settlers who attack Palestinians. Now how about conditioning (or stopping) military aid and arms sales to Israel until it stops bombing and besieging Palestinian civilians in Gaza. https://t.co/WZv8YRKVVk

— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) February 1, 2024

Three points on this. First, it's a symbolic step, albeit a small and overdue one. Second, just how meaningful it is depends on whether it is a sustained effort or a one-off gesture. Third, it reduces the settler enterprise to a problem of individuals. https://t.co/HGzCL7Evdm

— Gregg Carlstrom (@glcarlstrom) February 1, 2024

The four individuals will face financial sanctions and visa bans in the US for their alleged involvement in the acts.

The move marks a turning-point in the US’s stance on Israel, with the western power previously supporting Israel’s right to defend itself.

At least 26 900 people in Gaza, most of them women and children, have been killed since October.

US State Department Spokesperson, Matthew Miller, says the alarming levels of violence in the West Bank is unacceptable.

He’s also criticised the Palestinian “extremists” for their contribution in the war.