On Tuesday, the US announced travel bans on extremist Israeli settlers involved in the recent attack on Palestinians in the West Bank.
The secretary of state, Antony Blinken, announced the decision after warning Israel last week that Biden's administration would be taking action over the attacks.
US Announces Travel Bans on Israeli Settlers
12/02/2023 West Bank, Palestine. In the city of Beta, south of Nablus in the West Bank, clashes occurred between Israeli troops and Palestinian youths after Israeli forces conducted a raid. During the operation, several houses were searched and confiscated. Tear gas was fired between people and into houses. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, the following incidents were reported: Seven individuals injured by gunfire were admitted to the hospital. A child and an infant were taken to the hospital for treatment due to inhaling gas.
The visa restriction policy will target individuals involved in undermining peace, security, or stability in the West Bank, which includes committing acts of violence or taking other actions that unduly restrict civilians' access to essential services and necessities.
Blinken said they have underscored to the Israeli government the need to do more to hold accountable extremist settlers who have committed violent attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank. He added that Biden has repeatedly said that those attacks were unacceptable.
The US would continue to seek accountability for settler violence against Palestinians as well as Palestinian attacks against Israelis in the West Bank and Israel, mainly as tensions were extremely high due to the conflict in Gaza.
Blinken said that instability in the West Bank both harms the Israeli and Palestinian people and threatens Israel's national security interest.
Martin Indyk, a former US ambassador to Israel, posted on X, formerly Twitter, "Finally, settler vigilantes will pay a price for their violent efforts to uproot West Bank Palestinians. I hope their Israeli government sponsors will not be allowed to fly either."
However, Aaron David Miller, a former state department analyst, negotiator, and adviser on Middle East issues, doubted the decision would improve the situation. He said the ban was necessary but insufficient.
Miller added that they would not call it virtue signaling, but in some respects, it was similar to the administration's ban in the wake of Khashoggi's murder by the Saudi regime. He said visa restrictions were also imposed in Saudi.
More designations will be made in the coming days after the first travel ban on Tuesday, which will affect dozens of people. Miller added that any Israeli with an existing US visa who was targeted would be notified that their visa was revoked.
West Bank Violence
Israel has occupied the West Bank, which Palestinians want as the core of an independent state since the 1967 Middle East war.
The UN reported that daily settler attacks have doubled since Hamas took over the Palestinian territory of Gaza, which killed 1,200 Israelis and took about 240 hostages. Israel retaliated and invaded Gaza, killing more than 16,000 people.
James Zogby, the founder and president of the Arab American Institute in Washington, described the Biden administration's response as cosmetic and not indicative of a serious effort to stem settler violence.
On Tuesday, the Israeli defense minister, Yoav Gallant, condemned the violence by Jewish settlers in the West Bank and said that only the police and the military have the right to use force.
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