Newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump has rescinded an executive order by the Biden administration that imposed sanctions on violent, illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
It was among 78 executive orders rescinded by Trump shortly after he stepped into the Oval Office on January 20th .
Executive order 14115 titled “Imposing Certain Sanctions on Persons Undermining Peace, Security and Stability in the West Bank” targeted illegal Israeli settlers who committed “high levels of extremist settler violence, forced displacement of people and villages, and property destruction.”
The order, signed by Joe Biden on Feb. 1, 2024, said that illegal Israeli settler violence “undermines the foreign policy objectives of the United States, including the viability of a two-state solution and ensuring Israelis and Palestinians can attain equal measures of security, prosperity and freedom.”
The sanctions froze illegal settler’s U.S. assets and generally involved barring Americans from dealing with them in business.
Settler violence
Over the past year alone, Israeli settlers have staged more than 1,500 acts of violence and terror against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
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Emboldened by the relentless degradation of Gaza’s sovereignty since October 7th 2023, most acts of settler violence have gone unpunished.
Illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank are individuals or groups residing in settlements deemed unlawful under international law.
These settlements are built on land considered Palestinian territory by the international community, as outlined in the Fourth Geneva Convention. Despite this, the Israeli government continues to support settlement expansion.
Some settlers have been linked to acts of violence often described as “price tag” attacks, which aim to intimidate Palestinians and deter opposition to settlement expansion.
These acts often include physical assaults targeting Palestinian residents, farmers, and activists.
Property destruction is also common, with settlers burning crops, uprooting olive trees, and vandalizing homes, schools, and mosques.
Harassment and intimidation are used to forcibly displace Palestinians from their villages.
Previous administrations
Previous U.S. administrations have had differing approaches to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Under the Obama administration, the U.S. expressed significant concern over Israeli settlement expansion, considering it an obstacle to peace and a two-state solution.
Obama publicly called for a halt to settlement construction, particularly in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, which he described as illegitimate.
While the administration criticised settlements, it did not take strong action to prevent them.
In contrast, the Trump administration shifted U.S. policy significantly. Trump’s team reversed previous stances by declaring that Israeli settlements were not necessarily illegal under international law.
In 2019, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the U.S. would no longer view the settlements as a violation of international law, aligning more closely with Israeli policies.
The Biden administration, since taking office in 2021, returned to a more traditional stance.
While reaffirming U.S. support for Israel’s security, former President Biden has expressed opposition to the expansion of settlements, considering it an obstacle to peace.
In this context, newly elected President Trump has signalled a return to tacit approval of illegal settlements with the rescinding of the sanctions.
