US imposes sanctions on three Israelis, five entities for disturbing peace in West Bank

New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) The US State Department on Thursday said that it has imposed sanctions on three Israelis and five entities for disturbing peace in the West Bank.

“We are imposing sanctions on three Israeli individuals and five entities connected to acts of violence against civilians in the West Bank,” the US State Department said in a statement.

It said that the sanctions have been imposed on the Lehava, an organization led by US-designated Ben Zion Gopstein that has been involved in acts of violent extremism.

“Lehava’s members have engaged in repeated acts of violence against Palestinians, often targeting sensitive or volatile areas,” the US State Department said.

It said that the sanctions have also been imposed on four outposts that are owned or controlled by US-designated individuals who have weaponised them as bases for violent actions to displace Palestinians.

“Outposts like these have been used to disrupt grazing lands, limit access to wells, and launch violent attacks against neighbouring Palestinians,” the State Department said.

The department said that the US strongly encourages the Israeli government to take immediate steps to hold these individuals and entities accountable, adding, that in the absence of such steps, it will continue to impose its own accountability measures.

“The financial sanctions actions were taken pursuant to Executive Order 14115, Imposing Certain Sanctions on Persons Undermining Peace, Security, and Stability in the West Bank,” it said.

It said that the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) concurrently issued an alert related to the financing of Israeli extremist settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

“This alert supplements the one issued February 1, 2024, and provides additional red flags to assist US financial institutions in identifying and reporting suspicious activity that finances West Bank violence,” the US Department said.

It said that the US has consistently opposed actions that undermine stability in the West Bank and the prospects for peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

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