Israel has criticised the United States after the White House issued sanctions on four Israeli settlers accused of undermining peace and stability in the West Bank.
“The U.S. State Department said in a statement that the four individuals being designated for sanctions in the first round of penalties against violent settlers are:
David Chai Chasdai, who the U.S. says initiated and led the rampage of the northern West Bank village of Huwara last year, during which a Palestinian was killed.
Eitan Tanjil, who was involved in assaulting Palestinian farmers and Israeli activists by attacking them with stones and clubs, resulting in injuries that required medical treatment, according to the State Department.
Shalom Zicherman, who assaulted Israeli activists and their vehicles in the West Bank, according to the U.S., blocked them on the street and attempted to break the windows of passing vehicles with activists inside.
Yinon Levi, who Washington says regularly led groups of settlers from the Meitarim Farm outpost who assaulted Palestinian and Bedouin civilians, threatened them with additional violence if they did not leave their homes, burned their fields, and destroyed their property”. -Jacob Magid, Times of Israel
While the White House has imposed five rounds of sanctions against Hamas leaders and operatives over the course of the last three months, this unprecedented executive order is the most substantial action any U.S. administration has ever taken to oppose Israeli settlement policy in the West Bank by threatening to impose financial and immigration-related sanctions on Israeli settlers who commit acts against Palestinians in the region.