U.S. Sanctions Israeli Nonprofit and Security Official Amid Rising West Bank Tensions

The U.S. has imposed sanctions on an Israeli nonprofit and a settlement security official to curb extremist violence against Palestinians. The measures target Hashomer Yosh and Yitzhak Levi Filant, freezing their U.S. assets and barring American dealings. The move underscores Washington's stance on West Bank violence.

The U.S. government has imposed sanctions on an Israeli nonprofit organization and a security official from a Jewish West Bank settlement, aiming to punish those accused of extremist violence against Palestinians. The targeted nonprofit, Hashomer Yosh, and security coordinator Yitzhak Levi Filant have been accused of supporting unauthorized actions against Palestinians.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller emphasized that extremist settler violence exacerbates human suffering and undermines both Israel's security and regional stability. The new sanctions freeze the targeted individuals' U.S. assets and restrict their financial interactions with Americans, marking the latest effort by Washington to address West Bank hostilities.

The sanctions fall under an executive order signed by President Joe Biden, which seeks to do the same to actors from both Palestinian militant groups and Jewish settler organizations. The U.S. administration's move has faced criticism from pro-Israel advocates and has led to a lawsuit questioning the order's implications. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials have expressed strong opposition to the U.S. sanctions.

Reaffirming a long-standing U.S. policy, the Biden administration has declared that Jewish settlements in the West Bank are inconsistent with international law, a significant shift from the previous administration's stance under Donald Trump.

(With inputs from agencies.)