UK Imposes Sanctions on Israeli Settler Outposts and Organizations

London has urged West Jerusalem to combat violence against Palestinians in the West Bank

The UK has imposed sanctions on several Israeli settler outposts and organizations in the West Bank, calling on the Jewish state to crack down on violence against Palestinian residents. 

Israeli settlements in the West Bank are deemed illegal under international law due to their perceived hindrance to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. However, numerous Jews opt to construct communities in the region for religious reasons, asserting their right to live on ancient Israeli land known as Judea and Samaria. The violent clashes between settlers and local Palestinians have been extensively documented by human rights groups. 

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the UK Foreign Office declared its blacklisting of three outposts, which have been providing support to “extremist” settlers and are involved in “activity that constitutes a serious abuse of the right of Palestinians not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

Four settler organizations were also targeted, including Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva, which the UK government characterized as “a religious school situated within the Yitzhar settlement known for promoting violence against non-Jewish individuals.” 

“During my visit to the West Bank earlier this year, one of my first trips as foreign secretary, I engaged with Palestinians whose communities have endured horrific violence at the hands of Israeli settlers,” stated Foreign Secretary David Lammy, announcing the restrictions. 

“The Israeli government’s inaction has allowed an environment of impunity to flourish, where settler violence has been permitted to escalate unchecked. Shockingly, settlers have even targeted schools and families with young children,” he added. 

Lammy urged Israel to “take decisive action against settler violence and halt settler expansion on Palestinian land.”

The Foreign Office indicated that more than 1,400 “incidents of settler violence” have been recorded since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas in October 2023, citing UN data. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defied international pressure by committing in recent years to expanding the settlements. Last year, his government approved a resolution significantly simplifying the process of approving construction plans. The decision was widely applauded by settler leaders, who argued that Israelis residing in the West Bank should not be treated as “second-class citizens.”