Australia Imposes Sanctions on Israeli Settlers in West Bank

Australia has announced financial sanctions and travel bans on seven Israeli settlers and a youth movement for their involvement in violent acts against Palestinians in the West Bank.

The Australian government cited the youth movement for inciting and committing violence against Palestinians.

The targeted settlers are implicated in incidents of assault, sexual violence, torture, and in some cases, murder.

Australia is urging Israel to hold the perpetrators of settler violence accountable and to cease its ongoing settlement activities, which are seen as exacerbating tensions and undermining stability and the prospects for a two-state solution.

This decision aligns with similar actions taken by the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Japan, all of which have imposed sanctions on certain Israeli settlers in response to the increasing violence in the West Bank.

The rise in violent acts by Israeli settlers in the West Bank has been occurring alongside the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which escalated following a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.