MPAC Urges Sanctions on Israeli Officials in Letters to Biden, Harris, and Trump

The letters call for immediate sanctions on Betzalel Smotrich, Israel’s Minister of Finance, and Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel’s Minister of National Security

Washington, D.C. - The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) sent three letters today to the Biden administration, Harris campaign, and Trump campaign, urging each to address the ongoing human rights abuses in Gaza and the West Bank. With the United Nations General Assembly convening in New York this week, MPAC demands urgent action from U.S. leadership to demonstrate principled foreign policy and take decisive action.

Key Points from the Letters:

• Lack of Accountability: The Biden administration’s handling of Israel’s war in Gaza has been met with widespread discontent. One long-standing concern has been President Biden’s reluctance to hold Israeli officials accountable for human rights violations, which compromises the core American values that should guide U.S. foreign policy.

• Call for Sanctions: MPAC is urging the Biden administration to impose sanctions on Betzalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, who have been identified as complicit in acts of violence, property destruction, and promoting fear in Palestinian communities, in line with EO 14155. This Executive Order, signed by President Biden earlier this year, allows for sanctions against individuals responsible for violence or threats targeting civilians in the West Bank.

• Rejected Recommendations: MPAC expresses disappointment in the Biden administration’s decision to reject White House officials’ recommendation to impose sanctions on Smotrich and Ben Gvir. The administration’s rationale that the U.S. should not sanction elected officials in democratic countries has drawn criticism from human rights advocates. This stance undermines laws like the Global Magnitsky Act, which allows for sanctions against government officials involved in human rights abuses, regardless of their elected status.

• Global Precedent: The letters reference past U.S. actions, including the denial of a visa to Narendra Modi in 2005 due to his complicity in the Gujarat riots, despite his position as an elected official in India. MPAC urges the U.S. to follow this precedent and impose sanctions on Smotrich and Ben Gvir, sending a strong message that human rights violators will not be shielded by their titles.

• International Consensus: The letters also note that the call for sanctions is not isolated to the U.S. Josep Borrell, the European Union’s Foreign Policy Chief, along with Irish Foreign Minister Micheál Martin and Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister Petra De Sutter, have all publicly expressed support for sanctions against Smotrich and Ben Gvir.