“Lehava’s members have engaged in repeated acts of violence against Palestinians, often targeting sensitive or volatile areas.”
The US government has announced a new round of sanctions against Jewish ‘extremists’ and illegal outposts in the occupied West Bank.
“We are imposing sanctions on three Israeli individuals and five entities connected to acts of violence against civilians in the West Bank,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a press statement on Thursday.
He stated that the sanctions targeted the far-right Lehava, “an organization led by U.S.-designated Ben Zion Gopstein that has been involved in acts of violent extremism.”
“Lehava’s members have engaged in repeated acts of violence against Palestinians, often targeting sensitive or volatile areas,” Miller stressed.
‘Serious Rights Abuses’ – EU, US Sanction Extremist Jewish Settlers and Groups
EU Blacklist
Gopstein and the Lehava group already face sanctions imposed by the European Union and the US in April describing it as “a radical right-wing Jewish supremacist group.”
The latest sanctions also target previously sanctioned groups, including Tzav 9 co-heads Reut Ben Haim and Aviad Shlomo Sarid. The far-right group has been implicated in attacks on humanitarian convoys bound for Gaza as well as actions in the West Bank.
Four West Bank outposts accused of being bases for violent activities against Palestinians have been targeted. These are the Meitarim Farm, HaMahoch Farm, Neria’s Farm, and Manne’s Farm, owned or controlled by individuals already under sanctions for their extremist activities.
Outposts ‘Weaponized’
Miller said these individuals “have weaponized” the outposts “as bases for violent actions to displace Palestinians.”
These outposts “have been used to disrupt grazing lands, limit access to wells, and launch violent attacks against neighboring Palestinians,” he added.
‘Long-Standing Source of Tension’ – Canada Imposes New Sanctions on Israeli Settlers
Miller said the US “remains deeply concerned about extremist violence and instability in the West Bank, which undermines Israel’s own security.”
“We strongly encourage the Government of Israel to take immediate steps to hold these individuals and entities accountable,” he emphasized. “In the absence of such steps, we will continue to impose our own accountability measures.
Those listed under the sanctions regime are subject to an asset freeze, and the provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, to them or for their benefit, is prohibited.
Canada
Last month, Canada announced a new set of sanctions targeting settlers for “extremist violence” against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank.
The move followed the country’s first-ever sanctions against settlers, implemented a month before in coordination with Britain, France, the European Union, and the United States.
US Rabbis Call for End to Jewish Funding of Israeli Extremism
The sanctions named seven individuals and five organizations including Daniella Weiss, a veteran settler activist, and Gopstein.
Israel has occupied the West Bank, which is home to three million Palestinians, since 1967.
Estimates indicate that around 700,000 Israeli settlers live in roughly 300 illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
All Jewish settlements in the occupied territories are considered illegal under international law.
(PC, WAFA)
I wonder how the leaders of these countries can breed, seeing as they don’t appear to have a working pair between the hundreds of politicians. The FBI website defines what those goons are doing, as “Terrorism”. It’s well past time for the European union to have the courage of their convictions, not the cowardice thereof, and declare the Israeli settelr colonial movement terrorists.
Only thing is already think of Israelis IDf as terrorists..as are their above the law terrorist supporting allies USA and co. The only ones causing all these wars are uSA and Israel. If they could just shut up and stay home we would all be better off ..(not intended for innocent civilians of these places)…