The United States is considering imposing sanctions on one or more Israeli battalions accused of human rights violations during operations in the occupied West Bank, according to a person familiar with the deliberations.
Israeli Response to Potential Sanctions
Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have strongly criticized the potential imposition of sanctions by the Biden administration. Netanyahu called it “the peak of absurdity and a moral low” given the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza. He vowed that his government would take action against any such move.
Recent Developments in the Conflict
The news about possible sanctions surfaced shortly after the approval of $26 billion in aid for Israel and humanitarian assistance for conflict zones, including Gaza. The recent deadly Israeli military raid at a refugee camp in the West Bank triggered a general strike on Sunday, in protest of the ongoing violence and security clampdown in the region.
Since the Hamas-led attacks on Israel, there have been numerous casualties and detentions in the West Bank. The strike on Sunday effectively halted daily life activities, with shops, schools, universities, and banks closed, and public transportation suspended.
