UK announces new sanctions on 3 settlements, 4 organizations in Judea and Samaria to ‘curb violence’

Settler group blasts gov't for not protecting against 'war by foreign countries'

The UK government on Tuesday announced its latest round of sanctions against settler outposts and organizations in Judea and Samaria, which it calls the “West Bank,” in an effort to curb “settler violence” against Palestinians.

“Settler violence often seeks to force Palestinians to leave their homes, and to seize their lands in order to build the outposts on them, which are illegal both according to international law and according to Israeli law,” according to the British statement.

The targeted settlements and organizations “supported, incited and promoted violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank.” Their assets will be frozen, meaning British citizens or businesses will be barred from having any financial transactions with them.

The sanctioned outposts are the Tirzah Valley Farm, Meitarim, and Shuvi Eretz.

The targeted organizations are the Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva, “known to promote violence against non-Jews”; Hashomer Yosh, “a non-governmental organization that supplies volunteers to illegal outposts”; Torat Lechima, “a charitable organization with a record of financial support for illegal outposts”; and Amana, a commercial construction company… [that] provides funding and other economic resources to Israeli settlers,” according to the statement.

“When I went to the West Bank earlier this year, I met Palestinians whose communities have suffered horrific violence at the hands of Israeli settlers,” said UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

“The inaction of the Israeli government has allowed an environment of impunity to flourish where settler violence has been allowed to increase unchecked. Settlers have shockingly even targeted schools and families with young children.”

Lammy said the asset freezes will “help bring accountability to those who have supported and perpetrated such heinous abuses of human rights,” and called on the Israeli government to “crack down” on settler violence.

In response to the sanctions, the Yesha Council, an umbrella group of municipal councils of Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria, threatened it would sue the Israeli government for not protecting them from the “war by foreign countries against law-abiding citizens and settlements.”

“The British choose the wrong side of history while adopting a false and anti-Semitic narrative. They harm the State of Israel and strengthen the terrorism that will eventually haunt them as well,” the council stated.

“Unfortunately, despite our repeated calls and despite the fact that we have appealed to the Prime Minister many times and in different settings, the Israeli government completely ignores the threat of sanctions. Not anymore. The Yesha Council will contact the state comptroller this evening with a request for an examination of the state's disregard and the government's inaction.”

The sanctions package was announced after development minister Anneliese Dodds (Labour) was faced for an hour with angry calls for more sanctions on Israel from members of her own party in the House of Commons.

The package announced on Tuesday is the third of its kind by the UK government and comes amid similar initiatives by the American government in recent months.

Lammy warned that “as long as violent extremists remain unaccountable, the UK and the international community will continue to act.”