US announces new wave of sanctions against extremist settlers in occupied West Bank

By Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US on Friday announced a new wave of sanctions against two entities and one individual alleged to have engaged in violent extremism against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

The State Department designated Ben Zion Gopstein, the founder and leader of Lehava, an organization whose members are involved in "acts or threats of violence against Palestinians" affecting the West Bank, spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

The Treasury Department said it had designated two entities, the Mount Hebron Fund and Shlom Asiraich, for their alleged roles in establishing fundraising campaigns on behalf of two US designated-extremists who engaged in violent activities.

The two extremists, Yinon Levi and David Chai Chasdai, were sanctioned by the US on Feb. 1 for carrying out violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

"We are deeply concerned about the escalation of violence in the West Bank in recent days and call on Israel to take all appropriate measures to prevent attacks by violent extremist settlers and hold those responsible accountable," said Miller.

"The United States will not hesitate to take additional steps to promote accountability if necessary," he added.