Australia has sanctioned several Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, joining a growing number of countries to introduce sanctions for illegal acts against Palestinians.
This comes days after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a non-binding ruling that all Israeli settlement activity on Palestinian land is illegal and must stop as quickly as possible.
Let’s take a look at the latest news and where the situation stands.
What are Australia’s sanctions?
Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced on Thursday that seven Israeli settlers and Hilltop Youth, a hardline settler group known for establishing new illegal outposts in the West Bank, have been blacklisted by the Australian government.
“The individuals sanctioned today were involved in violent attacks against Palestinians. This includes beatings, sexual assaults and torture of Palestinians, resulting in serious injuries and, in some cases, death. The sanctioned entity is a group of young people responsible for inciting and perpetrating violence against Palestinian communities,” she said.
Australia called on Israel to hold perpetrators of settler violence accountable and cease ongoing settlement activity, while stating that it considers Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory “illegal under international law and a significant obstacle to peace.” .
Israel, which has been talking to Australia about this issue through diplomatic channels for months, has reacted cautiously so far, only saying through its embassy in Canberra that it “will work to bring the extreme minority involved to justice.”
What other countries have imposed sanctions?
Violence in the occupied territory has been so widespread and escalating that some of Israel’s other closest allies have also imposed sanctions – albeit on a limited scale.
In February, US President Joe Biden’s administration blacklisted four Israeli settlers for their role in attacking Palestinians and Israeli activists, which would mean a freeze on any potential US-based assets.
On July 11, Washington sanctioned three more Israeli settlers and four illegal outposts, plus a violent settler umbrella group.
The European Union joined several days later, approving “restrictive measures” against five people and three entities responsible for “serious and systematic human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank.”
The sanctions freeze assets, block the supply of funds or economic resources and impose a travel ban on the 27-country bloc.
The United Kingdom, France, Japan, and Canada have also imposed similar limited sanctions on several settlers and entities that organize them, but have not expanded the sanctions to include the politicians and government entities that arm and mobilize them.
Did they support the end of all illegal settlements?
The activity of Israeli settlements and violence against Palestinians in the occupied territory have long been contrary to international law, something that was only consolidated after the ICJ ruling on 19 July.
The 15-judge panel of the United Nations’ highest court said Israel engaged in a wide range of activities that violate international law, including building and expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, using natural resources on land. Palestinians and annexing Palestinian lands. .
Critics of Israel’s Western allies say they have used virtually no tool at their disposal – including broader sanctions, trade sanctions or arms embargoes – to increase pressure on the most far-right Israeli government in history, which is declaring many more territories occupied as Israelites. state lands than previous administrations.
The US, Israel’s staunchest ally, in February reversed a previous policy of saying that Israeli settlements are “inconsistent with international law”, but still reacted against the ICJ opinion that the settlements were illegal.
“We are concerned that the breadth of the court’s opinion will complicate efforts to resolve the conflict and bring about an urgently needed just and lasting peace with two states living side by side in peace and security,” the U.S. State Department said.
Have sanctions really reduced violence or stopped settlements?
The limited sanctions and moderate rhetoric have done nothing to deter the Israeli government or settlers, who have been attacking Palestinians and seizing land at an unprecedented rate since the start of the war in Gaza, which has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians.
Since the war began on October 7, at least 563 Palestinians have also been killed in the occupied West Bank, most by Israeli soldiers, according to the United Nations.
There were at least 1,143 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in that period, resulting in casualties or damage to Palestinian property, the UN said.
Israeli authorities have demolished, sealed off, confiscated or forced the demolition of 1,247 Palestinian structures across the West Bank since the start of the war, of which 39 percent (481 structures) were inhabited homes, according to UN data. At least 2,836 people, including 1,245 children, were displaced.
#WestBank, including. East Jerusalem, since October 7th.
22% of Palestinians killed were in Tulkarm province
+1,100 registered attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians
Israeli authorities demolished/confiscated/forced demolition of more than 1,200 Palestinian structures, displacing more than 2,800 people– UN Humanitarian (@UNOCHA) July 24, 2024
On July 2, Israel announced that it would seize 12.7 square kilometers (4.9 square miles) of Palestinian land in the Jordan Valley, in what was the largest single seizure in more than 30 years. In total, Israel has illegally seized 23.7 square kilometers (9.15 square miles) of Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank in 2024 – that’s more than the land it has seized in the last 20 years combined.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, the two far-right ministers who are leading the charge of land seizures in the occupied West Bank and are allies of violent settlers, have resisted reports that the Biden administration is considering sanctioning them.
Both authorities, who also oppose a ceasefire in Gaza, have vowed to prevent the formation of a sovereign Palestinian state. Ben-Gvir threatened last week to respond by “completely dismantling the Palestinian Authority, including all of its institutions and economy” if the US imposes sanctions on Israeli government officials.
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
