The White House has over the last several months imposed a series of sanctions against small Israeli settler groups accused of committing human rights abuses against Palestinians and of stealing land. These are so limited (largely amounting to restrictions on travel to the US) that they are largely seen as merely symbolic.
There are new reports in Israeli media saying the Biden administration is mulling a big next step: sanctioning top Israeli government ministers who are known to encourage and support radical settler groups in the West Bank.
The Jerusalem Post reports that Biden's National Security Council held a meeting days ago to discuss strategies to thwart expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
Among the plans reportedly discussed was the possibility of sanctions on hardline and outspoken Netanyahu coalition ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir. Not only have these two officials frequently made incendiary remarks seen as exacerbating the Gaza crisis, but they openly encourage Israelis to move in on Palestinian land.
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