United States 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 slew of controversial moves, as he returned 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 Departments of State and the Treasury to sanction several far-right individuals and groups accused of perpetrating violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967 despite international law, freezing their US assets and barring US bodies and individuals from commercial relationships with them.
As much of the world’s attention has focused on the war in Gaza, growing violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank and land grabs in the occupied territory have raised concerns among some of Israel’s Western allies.
On Monday and Tuesday, settlers set vehicles and properties on fire under the protection of Israeli soldiers. At least 21 Palestinians were reported to have been injured.
Since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October 2023, at least 860 Palestinians, including 175 children, have been killed and more than 6,700 wounded in attacks by the Israeli army and settlers across the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
"Lifting sanctions on extremist settlers encourages them to commit more crimes against our people,” the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Since the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Israel has occupied the West Bank of the Jordan River, which Palestinians want as the core of an independent state. Israel has built settlements there, which are illegal under international law.
Israel disputes this and cites historical and biblical ties to the land. (Agencies)