Japan imposes sanctions on Israeli settlers in occupied West Bank

Japan has imposed asset-freeze sanctions on four Israeli settlers accused of violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, the government’s top spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday.

“Violent acts by some Israeli settlers in the West Bank have increased dramatically since last October,” said Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.

He explained that the decision to sanction those involved in violent acts aligns with measures adopted by the G7 countries and other international partners.

"Japan will steadily implement these asset-freezing measures and continue to strongly urge the Israeli government to completely halt settlement activities, in cooperation with the international community, including the G7," Hayashi added.

Israeli settlers have escalated violence against Palestinians in the West Bank since October 2023. Recently, they harassed and attacked peasants and foreign activists in the town of Qusra on Sunday.

Britain, the United States, and Canada have also sanctioned several Israeli settlers for their involvement in violent activities in the West Bank.

Following the 1967 war, Israel occupied the West Bank and has since settled over 700,000 Jews in the area. These settlements are considered illegal by the international community.

In a landmark ruling last week, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel’s presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal and instructed Tel Aviv to abandon its occupation.

The court ordered Israel to halt further settlement activities, evacuate settlers, and fully compensate for the damage caused.

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) revealed that "228 Palestinians, including 51 children, were killed in attacks by Israeli forces or illegal settlers, and over 1,000 were displaced during the first half of 2024."

The rights group stated that Israeli forces have doubled the use of force against Palestinians in the West Bank and intensified search and arrest operations in an attempt to solidify their control over the occupied territory.