The US State Department announced on Wednesday additional sanctions against more Israelis. The US is imposing sanctions on Hashomer Yosh (Guardians of Judea and Samaria), an Israeli nongovernmental organization that provides support and protection to farms in Judea and Samaria, and specifically the Meitarim Farm, located near Hebron.
It is also sanctioning Yitzhak Levi Filant, the Ravshatz (civilian security coordinator) of the town of Yitzhar in Samaria.
International law expert Eugene Kontorovich wrote on Twitter:
“The U.S. has just sanctioned an Israeli organization for guarding Jewish farms, which are subject to countless Palestinian terror attempts every year. Their crime: guarding the farms of other Jews who had been sanctioned. The sanctions work as a mark of Cain, removing basic life protection from sanctioned individuals. All of whom are Jews.”
The U.S. has just sanctioned an Israeli organization for guarding Jewish farms, which are subject to countless Palestinian terror attempts every year. Their crime: guarding the farms of other Jews who had been sanctioned. The sanctions work as a mark of Cain, removing basic life… https://t.co/vCzPw3fGkJ
— Eugene Kontorovich (@EVKontorovich) August 28, 2024
Some members of Hashomer Yosh are reportedly associated with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Internal Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir according to a report by Barak Ravid in Axios. In which case, this may be the State Department’s way of hurting those around Smotrich and Ben Gvir, as it is too problematic for the US to target the two government ministers directly.
Benjamin Netanyahu: ‘Israel Views with Utmost Severity’ US Sanctions on Israeli Citizens
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement criticizing the decision by the American government to impose sanctions on an Israeli organization and several Israeli citizens.
“Israel views with utmost severity the imposition of sanctions on citizens of Israel,” he said. “The issue is in a pointed discussion with the US.”
Content by TPS was used in this report.
