Washington sanctions 3 settlers, 2 settlements in West Bank

WASHINGTON, March 14 (KUNA) -- The US Department of State announced Thursday imposing sanctions on three Israeli settlers and two settlements in the West Bank, as they are involved in acts of violence against civilians.
"Since the horrific terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, violence in the West Bank has increased sharply," Matthew Miller, spokesman of the Department, said in a statement.
"Extremist settler violence against Palestinian and Israeli civilians and forced displacement of farmers and villages is a serious threat to the peace, security, and stability of West Bank, Israel, and the broader region," he noted.
In February, President Biden issued an executive order giving the Department of State new authorities to impose sanctions on those responsible for undermining peace, security, and stability in the West Bank, and the Department imposed sanctions on four individuals, he stated.
"Today, we are taking further action to promote accountability for those perpetuating violence and causing turmoil in the West Bank by imposing sanctions on three Israeli individuals and two associated entities involved in undermining stability in the West Bank," Miller revealed.
There is no justification for extremist violence against civilians or forcing families from their homes, whatever their national origin, ethnicity, race, or religion, he said.
He went to say that the United States is committed to enduring peace and prosperity for Palestinians and Israelis alike and will continue to use all available tools to promote accountability for those engaging in actions that threaten the peace, security, and stability of the West Bank.
The United States continues to take action against those who undermine peace, security, and stability in the West Bank, which undermine the national security and foreign policy objectives of the United States, including the viability of a two-state solution, ensuring Israelis and Palestinians can attain equal measures of security, prosperity, and freedom, and reducing the risk of regional destabilization, he elaborated.
The Department of State is imposing additional sanctions, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14115, to promote accountability for individuals and entities associated with actions that undermine peace, security, and stability in the West Bank. This follows the State Department's announcement of a related visa restriction policy on December 5, 2023, as well as its first sanctions actions under E.O. 14115, on February 1, 2024.
These individuals and entities are being designated pursuant to E.O. 14115, which authorizes sanctions against those involved in certain actions, including violence or threats of violence targeting civilians, efforts to place civilians in reasonable fear of violence with the purpose or effect of necessitating a change of residence to avoid such violence, destruction of property, seizure or dispossession of property by private actors, or terrorist activity, affecting the West Bank, he said.
The Department is designating the following individual pursuant to section 1(a)(i)(B)(1) for being responsible for or complicit in, or for having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in planning, ordering, otherwise directing, or participating in an act of violence or threat of violence targeting civilians, affecting the West Bank: ZVI BAR YOSEF (BAR YOSEF) engaged in repeated violence and attempts to engage in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, Miller stated.
Pursuant to section 1(a) (iv), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, BAR YOSEF: ZVIS FARM was established by and is owned by BAR YOSEF. BAR YOSEF uses the outpost as a base from which he perpetrates violence against Palestinians and prevents local Palestinian farmers from accessing and using their lands.
Pursuant to section 1(a)(i)(B)(1), the following individual is being designated for being responsible for or complicit in, or for having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in planning, ordering, otherwise directing, or participating in an act of violence or threat of violence targeting civilians, affecting the West Bank, and pursuant to section 1(a)(i)(B)(2) for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in planning, ordering, otherwise directing, or participating in efforts to place civilians in reasonable fear of violence with the purpose or effect of necessitating a change of residence to avoid such violence, affecting the West Bank: MOSHE SHARVIT (SHARVIT) repeatedly harassed, threatened, and attacked Palestinian civilians and Israeli human rights defenders in the vicinity of MOSHES FARM, an outpost in the West Bank.
In October 2023, SHARVIT issued a threat against the residents of the Palestinian village of Ein Shibli, and while armed, ordered them to leave their homes; this threat resulted in up to 100 Palestinian civilians fleeing their village in fear for their lives.
Pursuant to section 1(a)(iv), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, SHARVIT: MOSHES FARM is owned and was founded by SHARVIT in 2021. SHARVIT uses the outpost as a base from which he perpetrates violence against Palestinians.
Pursuant to section 1(a)(i)(B)(4), the following individual is being designated for being responsible for or complicit in, or for having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in planning, ordering, otherwise directing, or participating in seizure or dispossession of property by private actors, affecting the West Bank: NERIYA BEN PAZI (BEN PAZI) has expelled Palestinian shepherds from hundreds of acres of land. In August 2023, settlers including BEN PAZI attacked Palestinians near the village of Wadi as-Seeq. (end) rsr.hm