JINSAFUT, West Bank — In the wake of an incident in which suspected Jewish settlers attacked Palestinian villages late Monday, setting vehicles and property ablaze, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the cancellation of sanctions previously imposed on Israelis accused of perpetrating violence in the region. This decision marks a significant policy shift from the Biden administration, which had aimed to hold radical settlers accountable; it suggests a potential return to a stance more favoring Israeli settlement expansion and less critical of settlers’ actions against Palestinians. Trump is known for his strong support of Israel, and his administration is once again filled with advisors who endorse the settlers’ cause.
Following the announcement, settler leaders expressed their appreciation for Trump’s decision, which came after sanctions were initially enacted almost a year earlier amid escalating violence during the war in Gaza. The sanctions had later been broadened to include additional Israelis who have been identified as violent or radical figures. Bezalel Smotrich, the Finance Minister and a prominent settler advocate, described the reversal as a fair decision, labeling the sanctions as a “severe and blatant foreign intervention.” He took to social media to commend Trump’s “unwavering and uncompromising support for the state of Israel.”
In the West Bank, home to around 3 million Palestinians who live under a prolonged Israeli military occupation, the Palestinian Authority manages the administration of towns and villages. However, figures like Smotrich and other hard-line settler leaders are pushing for the annexation of the West Bank and the reinstatement of settlements in Gaza, areas that Israel captured during the 1967 Middle East conflict. The Palestinian perspective sees these territories as essential for establishing a future state, and the ongoing settlement expansion is regarded as a significant barrier to achieving peace, with international consensus deeming the settlements illegal. Over 500,000 settlers currently reside in the West Bank and hold Israeli citizenship.
Late Monday, multiple masked individuals believed to be settlers roamed through at least two Palestinian villages, Jinsafut and Al-Funduq, located about 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Jerusalem, targeting homes and commercial properties. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, they treated twelve individuals who sustained injuries from the attacks, though detailed information about their conditions was not released. The Israeli military reported that the aggressors threw rocks at soldiers deployed to disperse the mob and stated that they were initiating an investigation into the event.
Amid rising tensions and violence in the West Bank exacerbated by the Gaza conflict, it remains uncertain if this attack is directly linked to the recent political changes. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Israeli forces conducted a deadly raid on the Jenin refugee camp. Jalal Bashir, the village council leader in Jinsafut, recounted that the assailants targeted three homes, a nursery, and a carpentry shop situated along the main road of the village. Louay Tayem, the head of Al-Funduq’s local council, reported that the marauders fired shots, hurled stones, set vehicles ablaze, and assaulted both homes and businesses.
“The assailants wore masks and were armed with incendiary devices,” Bashir stated. “Their numbers were alarmingly high and unprecedented.” On Tuesday morning, residents of Jinsafut found the remnants of burned cars along the roadside and examined the damage inflicted upon a charred storage facility.
Trump’s revocation of sanctions against these settlers follows a time of increasing violence, showcasing the growing sense of impunity among settlers. Previously, Biden had issued an executive order targeting settlers involved in violent acts and threats against Palestinian properties. The move mirrored signs of frustration towards Israel’s perceived leniency in managing violent settlers. Critics have highlighted that a notable gap has emerged as the Israeli Defense Minister exempted settlers from administrative detention— a practice commonly applied against Palestinians, allowing detentions without charges.
Following the lifting of the sanctions, Reut Ben-Chaim, a mother of eight who helped found an activist organization affected by the sanctions, expressed her relief, stating that these recent actions indicate a pro-Israel orientation akin to that of the Trump administration. “We have seen indications in recent days that the Trump administration will take an unwavering pro-Israel stance,” she noted. “Actions like the removal of the sanctions … are already paving a path forward.”
While Trump publicly champions support for Israel, he has also hinted at a desire to ease tensions and end wars within the Middle East, potentially requiring him to influence Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Prior to his inauguration, Trump reportedly pressed Netanyahu to engage in a ceasefire dialogue with Hamas, emphasizing a resolution that mirrored a ceasefire proposal supported by the Biden administration.
Trump’s ambition to further the Abraham Accords, which previously saw normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations, notably hinges on Saudi involvement. The Saudis have reiterated that their cooperation in such agreements is contingent upon establishing a pathway for a Palestinian state— a nonstarter for Netanyahu’s current government.
During his initial presidential term, Trump instigated significant policy changes such as moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights, and offering a Middle Eastern peace plan that heavily favored Israeli interests. He also allowed unchecked growth of settlements in the West Bank but seemed to have momentarily restrained Netanyahu’s ambitions to annex significant portions of that territory, a demand from the far-right settler faction. Netanyahu previously claimed he put this plan on hold as part of an agreement with the UAE.
