The State Department, in a statement, identified the four settlers and described the accusations against them:
—David Chai Chasdai allegedly led a riot in Huwara in which a Palestinian civilian was killed.
—Einan Tanjil is accused of assaulting Palestinian farmers and Israeli activists.
—Shalom Zicherman was reportedly filmed assaulting Israeli activists in the West Bank.
—Yinon Levi regularly led a group of settlers from the Meitarim Farm outpost who assaulted Palestinian and Bedouin civilians and threatened them with more violence if they did not leave their homes.
Biden has spoken out against retaliatory attacks by Israeli settlers and pledged that those those responsible for the violence will be held accountable. He said in late October that the violence by “extremist settlers” amounted to “pouring gasoline” on the already burning fires in the Middle East. “It has to stop. They have to be held accountable. It has to stop now,” Biden said.
Israel Defense Forces stepped up raids across the West Bank after the war began. Hamas militants are present in the West Bank, but largely operate underground because of Israel’s tight grip on the territory. Palestinians have accused the Israeli military of not preventing attacks by settlers.
Israel’s wartime mobilization of 300,000-plus reservists included the call-up of settlers for duty, and many were put in charge of policing their own communities. The military said that in some cases, reservists who live in settlements replaced regular West Bank battalions deployed in the war.
The order will give the Treasury Department the authority to impose financial sanctions on settlers engaged in violence, but is not meant to target U.S. citizens. A substantial number of the settlers in the West Bank hold U.S. citizenship, and they would be prohibited under U.S. law from transacting with the sanctioned individuals.
U.S. lawmakers have zeroed in on the role of Americans or dual citizens in the settler violence and intimidation. In a letter last month, Sen. Ben Cardin, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, asked the White House to take action against any U.S. citizens involved in attacks against Palestinians. He said that could include criminal charges and financial sanctions.
“There’s got to be a strong message against the extreme activities taken by some settlers on the West Bank, jeopardizing the lives of Palestinians as well as the peace in the region,” Cardin, D-Md., told reporters Thursday.
Biden’s order was first reported by Politico.
In conjunction with the executive order, the Treasury Department issued an alert to financial institutions to look out for transactions that might benefit “extremist” settlers in the West Bank.