US President Joe Biden issued an executive order Thursday enabling sanctions to be issued against violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank. The first round of sanctions under the order targets four individuals implicated in settler violence towards Palestinians: David Chai Chasdai, Einan Tanjjl, Shalom Zicherman, and Yinon Levi. The sanctions imposed include blocking the individuals’ financial assets and barring their entry into the United States.
The US State Department, in collaboration with the White House, compiled evidence supporting accusations against the targeted settlers. Allegations include inciting riots, assaulting Palestinian civilians, setting buildings on fire and damaging property. Specific incidents cited involve the death of a Palestinian civilian, assaults on farmers and activists, and threats against civilians if they did not leave their homes.
In December, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a policy targeting extremist Israeli settlers involved in West Bank violence. The policy aims to deny visas to ” individuals believed to have been involved in undermining peace, security, or stability in the West Bank.” Blinken added, “Immediate family members of such persons also may be subject to these restrictions.”
In response to the sanctions, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said, “The overwhelming majority of residents in Judea and Samaria are law-abiding citizens, many of whom are currently fighting – as conscripts and reservists – to defend Israel. Israel acts against all Israelis who break the law, everywhere; therefore, exceptional measures are unnecessary.”
The West Bank, under Israeli occupation since 1967, has seen tensions rise following Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel. The Israeli settlements in the West Bank, housing around 490,000 settlers, are considered illegal under international law. The Israeli human rights group Yesh Din documented 242 settler violence incidents in the first two months following October 7. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported 1,225 settler violence incidents in 2023, leading to the displacement of Palestinian households. At least 317 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces and settlers in the West Bank since the Gaza War began.
President Biden’s issuance of this executive order comes at a time when he faces backlash for supporting Israel’s offensive in Gaza. The Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR), which has been critical of Biden’s support for Israel, called for Biden to expand the sanctions to include Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, accusing Ben-Gvir of enabling settler violence.
