JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - The United States has imposed financial sanctions on four Israeli settlers over their role in attacks carried out against Palestinians in West Bank.
The sanctions are pursuant to an executive order that President Joe Biden issued Thursday targeting Israeli settlers linked to escalating violence against civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory.
The Executive Order establishes U.S. authority to issue financial sanctions against those directing or participating in acts or threats of violence against civilians, intimidating civilians to cause them to leave their homes, destroying or seizing property, or engaging in terrorist activity in the West Bank.
Announcing the sanctions, the State Department said David Chai Chasdai initiated and led a riot, including setting vehicles and buildings on fire, assaulting Palestinian civilians, and damaging property in Huwara, which resulted in the death of a Palestinian.
Einan Tanjil was involved in attacking Palestinian farmers and Israeli activists with stones and clubs.
According to the State Department, it has video evidence of Shalom Zicherman attacking Israeli activists and their vehicles in the West Bank.
Yinon Levi was designated for leading a group of settlers who engaged in actions creating an atmosphere of fear in the West Bank. 'He regularly led groups of settlers from the Meitarim Farm outpost that assaulted Palestinian and Bedouin civilians, threatened them with additional violence if they did not leave their homes, burned their fields, and destroyed their property,' the State Department said.
Levi and other settlers at Meitarim Farm have repeatedly attacked multiple communities within the West Bank.
A rare punitive measure by Washington on the citizens of one of its strongest allies comes in the wake of hundreds of incidents of violence against West Bank Palestinians.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken had announced on December 5 visa restrictions on some individuals who were involved in violence in the West Bank.
At a White House briefing, NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said it's a signal to the whole world how seriously President Biden takes the settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
It's unacceptable and a detriment to peace and security in the West Bank, he told reporters.
Kirby said there are no plans to target Israeli government officials with sanctions at this time.
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