The government of Canada announced on Thursday that additional sanctions will be imposed on extremist Israeli settlers in the West Bank. The sanctions will constitute a Canadian first of their kind.
The sanctions will be implemented under the Canadian Special Economics Measures Act. The government said the need for these sanctions has amplified due to a mass increase in the severity of attacks in the region. The sanctions will prevent the named individuals from transacting with or entering Canada. Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs explained that the individuals within the sanction are named due to their high level of involvement in the violence and attacks on Palestinians in the region.
The named individuals within this sanction are:
- David Chai Chasdai
- Yinon Levi
- Zvi Bar Yosef
- Moshe Sharvit
Israeli extremist settlers have occupied Palestinian territories, usually by force. The West Bank is primarily considered occupied by international standards. The region now holds established Israeli Jewish settlements.
The Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories reports that up until April 17 there have been 157 families displaced from the West Bank from 18 communities. The displacement has evidently been forceful. Human Rights Watch details that Israeli extremist settlers in the region have committed crimes including murder, sexual assault and torture. The Israeli military has seemingly supported the attacks, as video footage depicts armed forces with assault rifles protecting individuals who are harassing the West Bank residents.
Recent events have seen the violence escalate further. A 14-year-old Israeli boy recently went missing from a settler outpost. Israeli citizens stormed Turmusayya and Huwara in search of the boy. These individuals attacked by setting houses on fire and shooting at Palestinians. A citizen of a raided village reported that the IDF enabled the settler attacks rather than preventing them. The IDF later confirmed that the attacks took place, but claims they attempted to “disperse the violent riots.” There have been no public IDF comments in support of the attacks.
In response to the escalating violence, international forces have since applied similar sanctions to those implemented by Canada. The UK Government has enforced sanctions against the extremist Israeli settlers. The US has also issued sanctions against the four men. Though, both countries seem to have issued numerous sanctions. It is unknown if Canada intends to follow.
