The Biden administration is reportedly weighing the possibility of imposing sanctions on two high-ranking Israeli officials.
Spearheaded by Public Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the Israeli government last week approved 5,000 new housing units in Judea and Samaria and retroactively legalized five Jewish settlements in the region.
Join the JBN+ WhatsApp GroupSenior White House officials told Axios that President Joe Biden views Ben-Gvir and Smotrich as allying themselves with extremist settler groups and holds them accountable for the rising Arab tensions brought on by Hamas’ indiscriminate massacre on October 7.
While Biden had initially rejected the idea of sanctioning the far-right ministers several months ago, citing concerns about targeting democratically elected officials, the proposal resurfaced during a National Security Council meeting last week.
In a fiery response to the report, Minister Ben-Gvir issued a statement on Saturday denouncing the potential sanctions as a severe violation of Israeli sovereignty.
“It is no wonder that those who compromise toward the global terrorist branch from Tehran; finance terrorist regimes such as the Palestinian Authority, which rewards with fixed salaries those who kill Jews; and deprive Israel of essential weapons to deal with terrorism, seek to impose sanctions on Israeli leaders who ‘sinned’ by demanding a more determined war against terrorism,” Ben-Gvir said.
Ben-Gvir went on to warn that if the US proceeds with sanctioning him and Smotrich, they will take decisive action to completely dismantle the Palestinian Authority.
Critics argue that Biden’s apparent willingness to consider such drastic measures is a misguided attempt to pressure Israel, which could easily backfire and further strain the already tense relationship between the two allies.
Never under estimate the power of human stupidity
Stupidity combined with arrogance and a huge ego will get you a long way
Dumb you can fix but Stupid you can’t!!!
Tell Biden to give America back to Mexico. Israel was given to the Jews by Hashem. Biden go back to your basement.
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