The US denies visas to violent Israeli settlers and some Palestinians in the West Bank
The Biden administration is preparing to impose a visa ban on dozens of Israeli settlers and Palestinians who have committed acts of violence in the West Bank.
In a statement on Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken announced a new policy “targeting individuals believed to have been involved in undermining the peace, security or stability of the West Bank, including by committing of acts of violence or taking other actions that are unlawful. limiting citizens’ access to essential services and basic needs.”
US officials are most concerned about a recent increase in attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians, but the new policy will also deny US entry to Palestinians who have committed violent acts against Israelis. According to the privacy rules of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the names of the people appointed in the coming days will not be made public.
The restrictions could also apply to their immediate family members, Mr. Blinken said.
The move comes as the United States seeks to revive efforts to reach a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after the current Gaza conflict ends, hoping to end the cycle of violence between the two parties to break. Any two-state solution will require the Israeli government to rein in right-wing settlers in the West Bank who oppose the creation of a Palestinian state.
Violence by extremist settlers has increased sharply recently, and Palestinians and many analysts say the Israeli government has allowed the often heavily armed settlers to operate with impunity. Attacks on Palestinians, intended to drive them from their homes, had reached their land highest recorded levels even before the Hamas attacks of October 7 – and have only accelerated since then.
“Instability in the West Bank harms both the Israeli and Palestinian people and threatens Israel’s national security interests,” Mr. Blinken said in his statement.
President Biden and Mr. Blinken have privately urged Israeli officials to take stronger action against West Bank settlers, with Mr. Blinken warning of the coming action during his visit to Israel last week.
In late October, Mr. Biden said that settler attacks on Palestinians were like “pouring gasoline on the fire.”
The settlers are “attacking Palestinians in places they have a right to,” Mr. Biden said, calling for “accountability.”