Canada imposes sanctions on 'extremist Israeli settlers’ in West Bank

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - Canada on Thursday announced new sanctions against Israel's illegal settlers following escalating attacks in the occupied West Bank.

"Attacks by extremist Israeli settlers—a long-standing source of tension and conflict in the region—have escalated alarmingly in recent months. This has undermined the human rights of Palestinians, prospects for a 2-state solution and posed significant risks to regional security," according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry.

Canada pledged to "examine additional measures in response to the grave breach of international peace and security posed by their violent and destabilizing actions against Palestinian civilians and their property in the West Bank."

Defining it as "a significant step in Canada’s response" to settler violence, the statement noted that the new sanctions target four individuals directly implicated in acts of violence against Palestinian civilians and their property.

The four individuals are identified as David Chai Chasdai, Yinon Levi, Zvi Bar Yosef and Moshe Sharvit.

The statement noted Foreign Minister Melanie Joly's remarks that said: "With these measures, we are sending a clear message that acts of extremist settler violence are unacceptable and that perpetrators of such violence will face consequences."

Reiterating its continued opposition to illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, Canada noted its commitment to "a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East."

There are 451,000 illegal settlers in 132 settlements and 147 outposts in the West Bank, along with 230,000 in occupied East Jerusalem, according to the left-wing Israeli Peace Now movement.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip, where more than 35,200 victims have been killed following an attack on Oct. 7 by Hamas.

Nearly 503 Palestinians have since been killed and 5,000 injured by Israel in the occupied territory, according to the Health Ministry.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which in January issued an interim ruling that ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.