US imposes sanctions on Israeli settlement entities and people

WASHINGTON: The United States (US) Treasury Department imposed sanctions on three Israeli nationals and three Israeli companies involved in settlement activities in the occupied-West Bank.

The sanctions target Israeli nationals, Shabtai Kashlevsky, Itamar Yehuda Levi and Zohar Sabah. The Amana Settlement Movement and its construction subsidiary  Binyanei Bar Amana Ltd., and Eyal Hari Yehuda Company Ltd., was also sanctioned.

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Amana was described as a significant player in the Israeli settlement movement, providing support for outposts and settlements linked to people already sanctioned by the US.

The Treasury stated that “the settlers and farms that Amana supports play a key role in developing settlements in the West Bank, from  which settlers commit violence”.

The organisaiton is noted for using farming outposts to expand settlements and seize land through financing and infrastructure development.

The sanctions come amid escalating tensions in the occupied-West Bank where Israeli settlers aggression the Palestinians has increased.

The US previously sanctioned Amana, which has faced similar actions from the United Kingdom and Canada.

The Deputy Secretary of the Treasury stated that the US was “committed” to holding accountable anyone that facilitated destabilising activities  and which threaten regional stability.

The US State Department echoed similar words, stating that the actions of the sanctioned people and companies undermined peace and security  in the West Bank.

State Department Spokesperson, Matthew Miller, called on the Israeli government  to take ‘action’ against those responsible for violence and land dispossession.

As per reports, Israeli settlers have conducted as much as 1,500 attacks against Palestinians and their properties over the past year.

The sanctions block any assets of Amana located in the US and prevent US-based institutions, including Israeli banks, from providing services to the company.

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US citizens and and companies are also barred from donating to Amana.

As per report, the US has sanctioned 17 people and 16 entities under an executive order signed by President Joe Biden, aimed at addressing destabilising the West Bank