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HOLDING WEST BANK SETTLERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR VIOLENCE  
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Michael Arria
December 20, 2024
Mondoweiss
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_ Congressional Democrats led by Rep. Summer Lee and Sen. Peter Welch
have introduced legislation to sanction Israeli settlers that commit
acts of violence in the West Bank. _

Palestinians inspect the destroyed cars at a scrapyard in the town of
Huwara near Nablus in the West Bank on February 27, 2023 after they
were torched overnight., Shadi Jarar’ah apaimages

 

Congressional Democrats have introduced
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sanction Israeli settlers that commit acts of violence in the West
Bank.

The bicameral Sanctions and Accountability for Non-Compliance and
Transparent Investigative Oversight for National Security (SANCTIONS)
in the West Bank Act, was introduced by Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) and
Representative Summer Lee (D-PA).

“Sanctions have been an effective tool to deter violence in this
deadly year for those living in the West Bank, where lives have been
lost, homes have been destroyed, and families have been forever
changed,” said Welch in a statement. “We must ensure
accountability for extremists who perpetrate violence against
civilians in the West Bank and reaffirm our commitment to a lasting
Middle East peace.”

“This bill is about accountability, justice, and ensuring that U.S.
policy stands firmly against extremist violence and
destabilization,” said Lee.

The SANCTIONS Act has a number of cosponsors. Reps. Mark Pocan (D-WI),
Betty McCollum (D-MN), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Al
Green (D-TX), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Sara Jacobs (D-CA); Jim McGovern
(D-MA), and Andre Carson (D-IN) in the House. Dick Durbin (D-IL);
Bernie Sanders (I-VT); Jack Reed (D-RI); Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), ad
Jeff Merkley (D-OR) in the Senate.

Settler violence has surged in the illegally occupied West Bank in the
last 14 months. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, over
800 Palestinians have been killed and more than 6,000 wounded by
settler violence since October 7, 2023.

“This violence is not new to us. We suffered their [settlers]
attacks in Al-Mu’arrajat since 2018, and it scarily intensified
since October 7,” a displaced Palestinian woman told
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Amnesty international earlier this year. “Every place we move to,
they come and displace us again. People come visit and tell us to stay
steadfast, but how can we stay steadfast when our lives and livelihood
and the lives of our children are in danger?… This is a systematic
policy that allows the settlers to attack residents and burn
everything down, and no one is doing anything to stop it.”

The new bill codifies President Joe Biden’s February 2024 Executive
Order
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which allowed the Treasury Department to impose sanctions against
individuals “undermining peace and stability in the West Bank.”
The move was met with anger from various pro-Israel groups and the
administration was even sued
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by U.S.-Israeli citizens who claimed that their free-speech and
religious rights were violated by the order.

Last month the White House announced a new round
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of sanctions on groups and individuals connected to illegal
settlements in the West Bank. According State Department spokesperson
Matthew Miller the Biden administration has sanctioned 33 individuals
and entities over the last 10 months.

“There is no justification for extremist violence against civilians
– period,” Miller told reporters. “We are committed to working
with Israel and the Palestinian Authority to de-escalate violence in
the West Bank, which has cost the lives of too many Israeli and
Palestinian civilians.”

“The President and the Secretary have repeatedly stressed with their
Israeli counterparts that Israel must do more to stop violence against
civilians in the West Bank and hold accountable those responsible for
it,” he continued.

Palestinians in the West Bank have been critical
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many saying that sanctions on settlers has done, and will do little to
stop the violence against them in the West Bank, particularly as
settlers feel more emboldened than ever under Netanyahu’s current
right wing government.

The SANCTIONS Act isn’t the only current legislative effort aimed at
Israel. This week Lee and Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) led a letter
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(signed by an additional 18 Democratic House members) urging Biden
official to adhere to its own ultimatum on military aid.

In October Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense
Lloyd Austin had threatened
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to cut off offensive weapons shipments to Israel if the country’s
government failed to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

“Last month, as the 30-day deadline arrived, your Administration
said it would not suspend military assistance to Israel because it
determined that the Netanyahu government took some steps to improve
the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. While Israel made nominal
progress in some areas, it overwhelmingly failed to meet the minimum
standards laid out in the Administration’s own letter,” reads the
letter.

“Simply put, the Netanyahu government has not complied with the
United States’ repeated requests to allow humanitarian aid to be
delivered safely to innocent people. Under U.S. law, the United States
government must suspend offensive weapons to any nation that fails to
meet these basic standards,” it continues.

Earlier this month 77 House Democrats sent the administration a letter
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a full assessment of Israeli compliance with U.S. law, including the
National Security Memorandum and the Foreign Assistance Act.

“Our concerns remain urgent and largely unresolved,” read the
letter.

Michael Arria is Mondoweiss’ U.S. correspondents. His work has
appeared in In These Times, The Appeal, and Truthout. He is the author
of _Medium Blue: The Politics of MSNBC_. Follow him on x at
@michaelarria [[link removed]].

In a media landscape where critical coverage of Palestine is
shrinking, _Mondoweiss_ stands firm—fiercely independent,
movement-led, and unwavering in our commitment to documenting
Palestinian experiences. Our journalists on the ground in Palestine
and the U.S. work tirelessly to bring you stories mainstream outlets
too often ignore. With each article, we resist silence and amplify
voices fighting for freedom and justice.

* Palestine
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* West bank settlers
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