Washington/Tel Aviv: In response to escalating violence in the West Bank, the United States has imposed new sanctions on extremist Israeli settlers. The move is seen as an attempt to curb the increasing violence by holding accountable those extremist groups that receive funding from the Israeli government.
According to The Guardian, the sanctions target one organization and one individual, both of whom Washington accuses of long-standing involvement in the intimidation of Palestinians. The US Treasury has designated them as “specially designated nationals,” meaning their assets are frozen, and US citizens and companies are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. The sanctions are part of Washington’s broader effort to address the ongoing violence, with the US accusing these Israeli settlers of using intimidation tactics to seize Palestinian land.
The Israeli group under sanction is Hashomer Yosh, which is known for providing security to illegal settler outposts. Some of these outposts had already been sanctioned by the US in the past. The group has been particularly active in the South Hebron Hills, a hotspot of Israeli settler violence against local Bedouin communities.
“After all 250 Palestinian residents of Khirbet Zanuta [a village at the center of the struggle for land] were forced to leave in late January, Hashomer Yosh volunteers fenced off the village to prevent the residents from returning,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated.
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Netanyahu Condemns US Sanctions
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu harshly criticized the US decision, stating that his government viewed the sanctions “with utmost severity”. Netanyahu’s office emphasized that the issue is under “pointed discussion” with Washington. It’s important to note that although Hashomer Yosh is officially a non-governmental organization, it has received funding and support in recent years from Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition.
In a strong response to the sanctions, Netanyahu’s office declared, “Israel views with utmost severity the imposition of sanctions on citizens of Israel. The issue is in a pointed discussion with the US.”
The individual sanctioned is Yitzhak Levi Filant, the security coordinator at the Yitzhar settlement, located just south of Nablus. Like other settler security coordinators, Filant receives a salary directly from the Israeli Defense Ministry.
“Although Filant’s role is akin to that of a security or law enforcement officer, he has engaged in malign activities outside the scope of his authority,” Miller noted. “In February 2024, he led a group of armed settlers to set up roadblocks and conduct patrols to pursue and attack Palestinians, forcefully expelling them from their lands,” he added.
Washington concluded its statement by affirming, “The United States will continue to take action to promote accountability for those who commit and support extremist violence affecting the West Bank.”
