Barran Press
The United States on Thursday, July 11, 2024, imposed sanctions on three Israeli individuals and five entities linked to violence against civilians in the West Bank, according to State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.
Miller stated in a press release that one of the targets of the sanctions is "Lehava," an organization led by Ben-Tzion Gopstein, who is on the US terrorist list and has been involved in violent extremism. The organization's members have participated in repeated acts of violence against Palestinians, often targeting sensitive or volatile areas.
The sanctions also targeted "four settlement outposts owned or controlled by individuals designated by the United States who have used them as a base for violent activities to displace Palestinians." These outposts have been used to disrupt grazing lands, restrict access to wells, and launch violent attacks against neighboring Palestinians, according to the statement.
The statement added, "The United States has consistently opposed actions that undermine stability in the West Bank and the prospects for peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians. The United States remains deeply concerned by the extremist violence and instability in the West Bank, which undermines Israel's security."
The statement strongly urged the Israeli government 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."
The West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, has witnessed an escalation of violence for over a year. The situation has worsened since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip on October 7.
According to Palestinian officials, at least 572 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers since the start of the Gaza war.