The United States imposes financial restrictions on Israeli groups in the West Bank, with Hashomer Yosh being the main focus. This Israeli NGO, as stated on their website, supports numerous farmers in Judea and Samaria, a biblical term for the West Bank that Israel occupies. As alleged by the U.S. Department of State, Hashomer Yosh reportedly backs an unauthorized settlement near Hebron in the southern West Bank, causing 250 Palestinian residents to flee when volunteers from affected organizations shut off their village this year.
In response, the U.S. sanctions an individual responsible for overseeing roadblocks and patrols, with the intention of attacking Palestinians. State Department spokesperson Miller stresses the importance of holding all involved in West Bank violence against civilians accountable. These sanctions prevent the sanctioned individuals from using the U.S. financial system, leading Israeli banks to restrict their interactions with the sanctioned to avoid facing sanctions themselves. However, the U.S. government has yet to sanction Israeli ministers promoting West Bank settlements.
Tensions between Israel and the Palestinian organization Hamas, based in Gaza, escalated in 1967, and the situation in the West Bank has significantly worsened. Recently, the Israeli army undertook a significant operation in the West Bank, aiming to dismantle the Iranian-Islamic terrorist infrastructure established there. The Israeli Foreign Minister claims over 650 Palestinians have perished in the West Bank since Hamas's attacks on Israel in October 2022, with either Israeli military operations or radical settlers being responsible. At least 19 Israelis have also been killed due to militant Palestinian attacks, according to Israeli reports.
Europe may express concerns over the situation in the West Bank, given allegations of involvement from groups like Hashomer Yosh in violations of international law. The European Union could call for a more diplomatic approach to resolve conflicts involving Israeli NGOs and Palestinian residents.
[1] DAWN criticism [2] U.S. revocation of sanctions [3] Biden administration sanctions [4] Iranian terrorist infrastructure dismantling [5] Settler violence and displacement of Palestinians
The recent U.S. financial sanctions, which targeted Israeli organizations and individuals in the West Bank, including Hashomer Yosh, were abolished by President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025. The Biden administration had first imposed these sanctions with Executive Order 14115, issued on February 1, 2024, targeting entities involved in activities destabilizing the West Bank, like Israeli settler violence and the unlawful dispossession of Palestinian civilians. In response, Trump revoked this order, removing all sanctioned individuals and entities from the SDN List by the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The move was influenced by political pressure from his pro-Israel donor base and was criticized, particularly by advocacy groups like DAWN, who argued that it exacerbated violence against Palestinians and weakened hopes for a two-state solution. Despite the removal of these sanctions, Israeli settlement activities continue, with the Israeli High Planning Council endorsing plans for new settlement units and applying domestic Israeli laws to settlements.
