Israeli officials welcome Trump’s decision to lift sanctions imposed by the Biden administration.
US President Donald Trump has issued an executive order lifting sanctions against violent Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
Trump issued the order, among a series of controversial measures, upon his return to the White House on Monday. The sanctions were imposed by his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, via an executive order in February.
Biden’s actions paved the way for the US State and Treasury departments to sanction several far-right individuals and groups accused of carrying out violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967 despite international law , by freezing their American assets and banning American organizations and individuals having commercial relations with them.
While much of the world’s attention has focused on the war in Gaza, increasing Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and land grabs in the occupied territories have raised concerns among some Western allies of Israel.
On Monday and Tuesday, settlers burned vehicles and properties under the protection of Israeli soldiers. At least 21 Palestinians were reportedly injured.
Since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza in October 2023, at least 860 Palestinians, including 175 children, have been killed and more than 6,700 injured in attacks by the Israeli army and settlers in the West Bank, according to the ministry Palestinian Health.
“Lifting sanctions against extremist settlers encourages them to commit more crimes against our people,” the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The United States has become our friends again”
Israeli officials welcomed Trump’s “historic decision” to roll back sanctions.
Yossi Dagan, head of the Northern West Bank Settlement Council, said the reversal of the “scandalous sanctions” was “a political message that the United States has become our friends again,” according to Israeli media.
“This is a redress of an injustice that has existed for many years, during which distorted policies were carried out by the US administration as well as local elements that confused lovers with enemies,” said Itamar Ben-Gvir, former far-right Minister of National Security. .
His ally, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, said Trump’s position showed his “deep connection to the Jewish people and our historic right to our land.”
“These sanctions constitute a serious act of blatant foreign interference in the internal affairs of the State of Israel and undermine the principles of democracy and mutual relations between the two friendly countries,” he said.
The US sanctions against the settlers were imposed after the Biden administration repeatedly urged the Israeli government to take steps to hold settlers accountable for actions that Washington says have set back hopes for a solution two states between Israelis and Palestinians.
Since the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Israel has occupied the West Bank of the Jordan River, which the Palestinians want to see as the heart of an independent state. Israel has built settlements there that are illegal under international law.
Israel disputes this and cites historical and biblical ties to the country.
