Biden imposes sanctions on Israeli settlers accused of West Bank violence

The Biden administration on Thursday imposed sanctions on four Israeli men it accused of being involved in settler violence in the West Bank, signaling growing U.S. displeasure with the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

President Joe Biden issued an executive order on Thursday that aims to punish Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, where Palestinians envisage a future state.

The order establishes a system for imposing financial sanctions and visa restrictions against individuals who attack or intimidate Palestinians or seize their property, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement.

"Today’s actions seek to promote peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike," he said.

United Nations figures show that daily settler attacks have more than doubled in the nearly four months since Palestinian Hamas militants on Oct. 7 carried out an attack on Israel and Israel responded with an assault on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.