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Biden imposes sanctions on Israeli settlers accused of West Bank violence | Reuters
Bibi protests to Blinken, calls U.S. sanctions on violent settlers "inappropriate" - Axios
BN didn't like that very much.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 ill-behaved 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.
Bibi protests to Blinken, calls U.S. sanctions on violent settlers "inappropriate" - Axios
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday he told Secretary of State Tony Blinken that President Biden's executive order targeting Israeli settlers involved in violent attacks against Palestinians was "inappropriate" and "highly problematic."
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"Biden's order is a very serious matter. It is inappropriate and harms a big group of law-abiding settlers," Netanyahu said at a press conference.
"If the U.S. wanted to use it in an equal manner it would have imposed sanctions on hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. I told Blinken it is a highly problematic thing," Netanyahu said.
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Several days later, three Israeli banks announced they were suspending the settlers' bank accounts to comply with the new sanctions.
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Between the lines: Netanyahu's initial response to Biden's executive order was very mild.
But in recent days the Israeli settler lobby has been pushing hard for Netanyahu and other Israeli politicians to react more strongly to Biden's decision.