Washington Imposes New Sanctions on Israelis in West Bank

An Israeli military vehicle storms Nur Shams camp in the West Bank (AFP)
An Israeli military vehicle storms Nur Shams camp in the West Bank (AFP)
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Washington Imposes New Sanctions on Israelis in West Bank

An Israeli military vehicle storms Nur Shams camp in the West Bank (AFP)
An Israeli military vehicle storms Nur Shams camp in the West Bank (AFP)

The US imposed a new batch of sanctions on Thursday against extremist Israeli settlers accused of stirring up violence in the occupied West Bank.

“Today, 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 then specified in particular that it had targeted the far-right Israeli Lehava organization, according to AFP.

In another statement, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, “The United States remains deeply concerned about extremist violence and instability in the West Bank, which undermines Israel’s own security.”

In recent months, the US, UK and Canada have announced sanctions against “extremist Israeli groups” and a number of individuals they say are involved in West Bank violence.

Last April, the EU put two organizations Lehava and the Hilltop Youth on its asset freeze and visa blacklist for their attacks on Palestinians.



Israeli Delegation Arrives Cairo for Gaza Ceasefire Talks

Palestinians gather amidst the rubble of Moussa family's destroyed home following an Israeli airstrike, in Al-Maghazi refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, 29 March 2024. EPA/MOHAMMED SABER
Palestinians gather amidst the rubble of Moussa family's destroyed home following an Israeli airstrike, in Al-Maghazi refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, 29 March 2024. EPA/MOHAMMED SABER
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Israeli Delegation Arrives Cairo for Gaza Ceasefire Talks

Palestinians gather amidst the rubble of Moussa family's destroyed home following an Israeli airstrike, in Al-Maghazi refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, 29 March 2024. EPA/MOHAMMED SABER
Palestinians gather amidst the rubble of Moussa family's destroyed home following an Israeli airstrike, in Al-Maghazi refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, 29 March 2024. EPA/MOHAMMED SABER

An Israeli delegation has arrived in Egypt to continue ceasefire talks as Israel and Hamas consider the latest proposal. That’s according to three Egyptian airport officials who didn’t give details. International mediators continue to push Israel and Hamas toward a phased deal that would halt the fighting and free about 120 hostages held by the militant group in Gaza, The AP reported.

Talks between the sides were rattled over the weekend when Israel said it targeted Hamas’ military commander in a massive strike. His status remains unclear.

Two international courts have accused Israel of war crimes and genocide – charges Israel denies. Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are crammed into squalid tent camps in central and southern Gaza. Israeli restrictions, fighting and the breakdown of law and order have limited humanitarian aid efforts, causing widespread hunger and sparking fears of famine.

Meanwhile, Israel released 13 Palestinians after detaining them for weeks, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said Wednesday.

The Palestinian paramedic group said they were taken from an Israeli checkpoint in the Gaza Strip to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central city of Deir al-Balah. Some wept when they were reunited with their relatives. Others showed signs of bruising to journalists.

One of those released, Zakaria Abu al-Eish, said he was caring for his ill father in the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza when Israeli forces stormed their home and detained him.

“For 55 days, I was handcuffed, blindfolded, deprived from sleeping, no rest, even food they brought us was for animals,” al-Eish told The AP. “If you eat or not, no one cares. They dealt with us as non-humans.”