Individuals implicated in attacks in the West Bank face US sanctions.

The US government has implemented a visa ban on extremists involved in violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the ban is aimed at curbing attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians, but it will also apply to Palestinians accused of violence. The number of attacks in the West Bank has increased since the beginning of the conflict in the Gaza Strip, which was sparked by Hamas's assault on southern Israel on October 7th. The ban will impact a "dozen" extremist Israelis and some of their relatives. However, the US is unable to disclose the names of those affected due to legal restrictions. This move reflects the growing frustration of the US towards the Israeli government's stance on settlers, particularly ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, who have been criticized for downplaying violence in the West Bank. Palestinians in the West Bank have also reported that Israeli settlers are taking advantage of the situation in Gaza to seize land. The settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where more than 700,000 Jewish people reside, are considered illegal by most of the international community, although Israel and the US dispute this interpretation. The UN has documented 314 settler attacks against Palestinians since October 7th, resulting in Palestinian casualties and damage to their property. During the same period, four Israelis, including three security forces personnel, have been killed in Palestinian attacks in the West Bank. Blinken emphasized the need for the Israeli government to take stronger action against extremist settlers, as these attacks are deemed unacceptable by President Biden. The visa ban was announced shortly after Israel was granted entry into the US Visa Waiver Program, which enables Israeli citizens to travel to the US without a visa. Individuals impacted by the ban will not be eligible for the program, and current US visa holders will have their travel permits revoked. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant condemned the acts of violence committed by extremists, stating that violence should only be justified by the government in a lawful state like Israel.