The US is expected to roll out sanctions on two Israeli settlements in Judea & Samaria, reports Axios.
Citing three US officials, Axios reports that these sanctions aim to address the use of these settlements as bases for attacks by “extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians.” This marks the first-time sanctions will be imposed not just on Israeli individuals but on entire settlements.
Anticipated to be announced as early as Thursday, sanctions will also be placed on three Israelis. The measures will lock any assets that the three Israelis and two settlements possess within the US, prevent them from obtaining visas, and restrict their access to the American financial system.
Biden signed an executive order in February which expanded the US’s ability to sanction individuals and entities involved in “violent acts” against Arabs in Judea and Samaria. Initially, the response from the Israeli government was restrained as they viewed it largely as symbolic. However, that changed when Israeli banks started closing settler accounts in adherence to U.S. directives. In response, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called upon the banks to ignore these sanctions.
