The U.S. Departments of State and Treasury are being urged to impose strict sanctions on key figures and entities in the Israeli settlement of Yitzhar. This settlement has become notorious for its involvement in extremist violence against Palestinians and the unlawful seizure of Palestinian land. The call for action comes from Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), an organization dedicated to promoting human rights and accountability.
DAWN’s request is rooted in a detailed 23-page submission to the State and Treasury Departments. The document provides compelling evidence that leaders within the Yitzhar settlement have directly contributed to violence and instability in the West Bank. These acts include ideologically driven crimes against Palestinian civilians, such as violent attacks on homes, schools, and the dispossession of private Palestinian property.
Yitzhar Settlement: A Hub of Violence
The Yitzhar settlement is infamous for its history of violence against Palestinians. DAWN’s report identifies key figures within Yitzhar who play central roles in perpetuating this violence. One of the main targets for sanctions is the leadership of the Od Yosef Chai (OYC) yeshiva. This religious institution has a long history of promoting extremist ideologies that encourage violence against Palestinian civilians. OYC has failed to implement any policies to prevent, discourage, or condemn such violence, and its teachings and publications have been recognized for promoting extremist views that fuel ongoing conflicts in the region.
Another individual highlighted in the report is Yitzhak Levy Filant, Yitzhar’s civilian security officer. Filant is implicated in numerous violent incidents against Palestinian civilians, including assaults, shootings, and property destruction. His role as a security officer has allowed him to orchestrate and participate in attacks on Palestinian villages, further escalating tensions in the region.
Extremist Leaders Under Scrutiny
Member of Knesset Zvi Sukkot, another prominent figure within Yitzhar, is also named in DAWN’s submission. Sukkot has been involved in several incidents of extremist violence against Palestinians and has openly acknowledged his past membership in a violent group known as the Hilltop Youth. His actions have directly contributed to settler attacks on Palestinian civilians, including a series of violent events in 2023 that resulted in deaths, injuries, and widespread destruction of Palestinian property.
Sukkot has also been involved in efforts to dispossess Palestinian civilians of their land, such as leading the establishment of the Evyatar outpost on land owned by Palestinian villages. His actions have been the subject of multiple criminal investigations by Israeli authorities, although he has continued to engage in activities that contribute to the ongoing violence in the West Bank.
A Call for Accountability
DAWN’s submission emphasizes the need for the U.S. government to take a more aggressive approach in addressing settler violence. The organization’s report highlights the systemic failures within Israeli law enforcement to hold perpetrators of violence accountable, with the vast majority of investigations into such crimes being closed without indictment. The cycle of violence has been permitted to continue unabated by this lack of accountability.
The U.S. has a history of sanctioning entities and individuals involved in extremist activities that undermine its foreign policy interests. DAWN argues that the leadership of the Yitzhar settlement, including the administration of the OYC yeshiva, should be sanctioned under Executive Order 14115. This order, issued by President Biden, defines extremism and violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank as a threat to U.S. national security interests and foreign policy.
DAWN also calls for the exploration of additional legal avenues to hold these individuals and entities accountable. This includes considering war crimes prosecutions and targeting Israeli military and security bodies complicit in settler violence. Such actions are thought to be crucial in pressuring individuals responsible for the ongoing violence and instability in the West Bank to change their ways.
Sanctioning the leadership of Yitzhar and other related entities is a necessary step in disrupting the networks of violence that terrorize Palestinian civilians. The U.S. must take decisive action to address this ongoing issue, sending a clear message that such violence will not be tolerated.
