Senators Seek to Sanction Israelis Over Gaza, West Bank Actions
Seven Democratic senators led by Arizona's Ruben Gallego urged the Trump administration Aug. 18 to sanction Israeli settlers who have blocked humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza or violently attacked Palestinian civilians, including U.S. citizens, in the West Bank.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Export Compliance Daily combines U.S. export control news, foreign border import regulation and policy developments into a single daily information service that reliably informs its trade professional readers about important current issues affecting their operations.
In a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the senators said the administration should use a 2017 executive order that President Donald Trump signed expanding the government’s authority to sanction foreign individuals involved in serious human rights abuses or corruption.
“The U.S.-Israel partnership is rooted in shared security interests and democratic values,” the senators wrote. “Targeted sanctions against individuals who have engaged in violence or obstructed the delivery of humanitarian aid reinforce those values and help prevent further instability in the region.”
The letter was co-signed by Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Peter Welch of Vermont, Tim Kaine of Virginia and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland.
The State and Treasury departments had no immediate comment on the letter. However, the administration in January revoked a Biden-era sanctions authority that had targeted Israeli settlers in the West Bank for violence against Palestinians (see 2501210023).