NEW YORK - The State Department released the names of four individuals who will be sanctioned under President Joe Biden's executive order issued Thursday aiming to quell violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
"The United States has consistently opposed actions that undermine stability in the West Bank and the prospects of peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike. This includes attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians and Palestinian attacks against Israelis," according to the State Department.
"There is no justification for extremist violence against civilians, whatever their national origin, ethnicity, or religion."
According to the State Department, David Chai Chasdai initiated and led a riot, which involved setting vehicles and buildings on fire, assaulting Palestinian civilians, and causing damage to property in Huwara, which resulted in the death of a Palestinian civilian.
Who are the West Bank settlers sanctioned by the United States?
Shalom Zicherman, according to video evidence, assaulted Israeli activists and their vehicles in the West Bank, blocking them on the street and attempting to break the windows of passing vehicles with activists inside. The State Department said Zicherman cornered at least two of the activists and injured both.
Einan Tanjile was involved in assaulting Palestinian farmers and Israeli activists by attacking them with stones and clubs, resulting in injuries that required medical treatment, the State Department said.
The State Department said Yinon Levi led a group of settlers who engaged in actions creating an atmosphere of fear in the West Bank. Levi regularly led groups of settlers from the Meitarim Farm outpost that assaulted Palestinian and Bedouin civilians, threatened them with additional violence if they did not leave their homes, burned their fields, and destroyed their property. According to the State Department, Levi and other settlers at Meitarim Farm have repeatedly attacked multiple communities within the West Bank.