Biden sanctions Israeli settlers accused of attacking Palestinians and peace activists in West Bank
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President Joe Biden has issued an executive order imposing financial sanctions and visa bans on Israeli settlers in the West Bank who have been accused of attacking Palestinians and Israeli peace activists. The order targets four settlers involved in acts of violence, threats, and attempts to destroy or seize Palestinian property. The penalties aim to block them from using the U.S. financial system and prohibit American citizens from dealing with them. The order comes as violence by settlers has intensified during the Israel-Hamas war. Biden's order is a rare step against America's closest ally in the Middle East. The move reflects Biden's call for greater restraint from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government in its military operations against Hamas. Palestinian authorities and rights groups have reported killings, arson attacks, and forced evacuations by settlers. The order aims to address the violence that poses a threat to peace, security, and stability in the region and undermines U.S. foreign policy objectives, including the viability of a two-state solution. Biden has reinvigorated calls for an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. Netanyahu has rejected the idea. The State Department has identified the four settlers and described the accusations against them. The Treasury Department has been given the authority to impose financial sanctions on settlers engaged in violence. The order is not meant to target U.S. citizens, but it provides an alert to financial institutions to look out for transactions that might benefit extremist settlers in the West Bank. The timing of the order is not related to domestic pressure facing Biden. The move was planned since November. The Israeli government was notified in advance of the sanctions. There are no plans to penalize far-right Israeli ministers who have defended the violence by settlers and called for settlement expansion. The order was released before Biden's campaign rally in a key presidential battleground state, where he faces criticism from Arab and Muslim leaders over his handling of the war with Hamas. The order is part of Biden's efforts to address the violence and work towards a durable peace in the region.

#Biden #IsraeliSettlers #WestBank #Palestinians #PeaceActivists #Violence #Sanctions #VisaBans #FinancialSystem #Two-stateSolution #IndependentPalestinianState #Hamas #BenjaminNetanyahu

https://apnews.com/article/biden-west-bank-israeli-settlers-palestinians-80f9e6be6f6a7bb75dc86360ac2fa6ce