Trump Lifts Sanctions on Israeli Settler Groups

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich applauded U.S. President Donald Trump for reversing sanctions on Israeli settlers imposed by the Biden administration. The sanctions targeted settler groups involved in violence against Palestinians. Smotrich labeled the move as supportive of Israel's historical rights and criticized it as foreign interference by the U.S.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to reverse sanctions placed by the Biden administration on Israeli settler groups. The sanctions initially aimed to deter violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

Smotrich praised the policy reversal, interpreting it as a reaffirmation of Trump's commitment to Israel's historical claims to the land. He criticized the original sanctions as undue foreign interference, which prematurely targeted settlers by freezing their U.S. assets and restricting interactions.

The move upended the Biden administration's efforts to hold Israeli extremists accountable and to revive talks for a two-state solution. The ongoing conflict dates back to 1967, with Israel occupying territories claimed by Palestinians, while most nations consider the settlements illegal.

(With inputs from agencies.)