US announces sanctions on Israeli settlers over West Bank violence
Al Jazeera
US measures target three Israeli individuals and five entities over violence in the occupied West Bank.
The United States has announced new sanctions on several Israeli settlers and affiliated groups, accusing them of involvement in violence or threats of violence targeting civilians, seizure of property or other actions that threaten security in the occupied West Bank.
The sanctions announced by the US Department of State and the Department of the Treasury on Thursday target Israeli individuals Isachar Manne, Reut Ben Haim, and Aviad Shlomo Sarid, and four illegal Israeli settlement outposts; Manne Farm, Meitarim Farm, Hamahoch Farm, and Neriya’s Farm.
The US also blacklisted Lehava, an umbrella group for Israeli settlers, which it described as the “largest violent extremist organization in Israel” with more than 10,000 members.
“The United States remains deeply concerned about extremist violence and instability in the West Bank, which undermines Israel’s own security,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement on Thursday.
“We strongly encourage the Government of Israel to take immediate steps to hold these individuals and entities accountable. In the absence of such steps, we will continue to impose our own accountability measures.”
