WASHINGTON — On Monday, the United States announced sanctions targeting various organizations and companies associated with the illegal establishment of settlements in the occupied West Bank. This move includes actions against a long-established organization known for its close affiliations with Israeli leadership.
The U.S. Treasury has placed sanctions on Amana, the largest entity involved in unlawful settlement construction within the West Bank, and its subsidiary Binyanei Bar Amana Ltd. Previously sanctioned by both Britain and Canada, Amana is recognized as a significant supporter and financier of unauthorized settlements in the Israeli-occupied areas. According to Peace Now, a nonprofit that monitors settlements, Amana’s total assets are estimated at approximately 600 million Israeli shekels (around $160 million), with an annual budget running into tens of millions.
With headquarters in the West Bank, Amana has engaged in various activities over the years, including underwriting loans, securing contracts, purchasing equipment, and backing infrastructure projects for new settlements. Peace Now asserts that these settlements, often characterized as small farming outposts, play a considerable role in the escalation of violence and the displacement of Palestinian residents in the West Bank.
Moreover, the U.S. State Department has instituted diplomatic sanctions against Eyal Hari Yehuda Co., a company that provides construction support to the identified sanctioned groups, along with its owner, Itamar Yehuda Levi. Other individuals sanctioned include Shabtai Koshlevsky, co-founder of the nonprofit organization Hashomer Yosh, and Israeli citizen Zohar Sabah, known for violent actions against Palestinians.
These sanctions come amid a period when settlers in the West Bank express optimism about the incoming political environment under the Trump administration, anticipating a more favorable stance regarding the settlements. During his previous term, Trump notably took steps to bolster Israel’s territorial claims, which included recognizing Jerusalem as the nation’s capital and moving the U.S. Embassy there, along with acknowledging Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights.
Wally Adeyemo, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, reiterated the U.S. commitment to holding accountable individuals and organizations that contribute to destabilizing activities that threaten the stability of the West Bank, Israel, and the broader region.
The sanctions entail restrictions on the targeted individuals and organizations’ access to any properties or financial assets in the U.S. Additionally, American citizens and businesses are prohibited from engaging in transactions with the sanctioned parties.
In February, President Joe Biden issued an executive order aimed at Israeli settlers in the West Bank accused of perpetrating violence against Palestinians and peace advocates. This order provides a lawful basis for the sanctions levied against the aforementioned entities and individuals.
In reaction to these sanctions, groups such as Texans for Israel, a Christian nonprofit, and the Israeli nonprofit Regavim initiated legal action against the Biden administration in Amarillo, Texas, contesting the sanctions imposed on Israeli settlers.
Eitay Mack, a human rights attorney advocating for action against violent settlers in the West Bank, regarded the sanctions against Amana as a significant setback for the settlement enterprise, particularly for shepherding farms. He urged the U.S. government to also impose sanctions on Israeli figures such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, both of whom hold far-right positions in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
Amana’s leadership is known for participating in pro-settlement gatherings alongside government ministers. Peace Now reported that Zeev Hever, the organization’s secretary-general, received a warm welcome from Smotrich at a recent conference where Smotrich elaborated on his plans concerning the West Bank.
Since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7, 2023, incidents of violence and displacement against Palestinians in the West Bank have increased significantly, with around 8,000 Palestinians reportedly displaced and more than 700 fatalities recorded, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Palestinian health officials.
Reports suggest that the newly imposed sanctions have had a limited effect, seemingly empowering settlers as violent clashes and land appropriation incidents rise, based on accounts from Palestinians, local rights advocates, and the sanctioned Israelis. Furthermore, Smotrich has expressed intentions to intervene on behalf of those affected by these sanctions.
The West Bank, along with East Jerusalem and Gaza, was captured by Israel during the 1967 Middle East war. Palestinians aspire to claim these areas for the establishment of their future state. The expansion of settlements has received ongoing support from successive Israeli governments over many years but has surged under Netanyahu’s far-right coalition, which has key settlers in authoritative positions. Currently, there are over 100 settlements housing more than 500,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, a situation that rights advocates argue is further complicating the path toward a two-state solution.
Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the State Department, called upon the Israeli government to take action against those responsible for violence, forced evictions, and the dispossession of land. He emphasized that the United States would continue to seek accountability for actions that exacerbate instability in the West Bank and promote extremism in the region.
