The U.S. government has decided to ban entry to certain Israelis who have committed acts of violence in the West Bank, where Palestinian residents live.
On the 5th (local time), Secretary of State Tony Blinken stated in a press release, "I have emphasized to the Israeli government the need to take strong measures against extremists who commit violence against Palestinians in the West Bank," and announced "new visa restrictions on individuals undermining peace and stability in the West Bank."
Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the State Department, also said during a briefing, "As President Joe Biden has repeatedly warned, the U.S. government will implement new visa restrictions in response to the increasing violence in the West Bank."
Miller emphasized, "We urge both Israel and Palestine to take active measures against the rising violence targeting civilians."
He further explained that the entry ban will be implemented first on the day and that additional visa restrictions will follow soon. The individuals subject to the entry ban are estimated to be several dozen Israelis, and those who already hold U.S. visas will have their visas immediately revoked. The internet media Axios reported that this is the first visa measure against Israel since the Bill Clinton administration.
The U.S. government had already signaled its intention to ban visa issuance to Israeli extremists. After Hamas, the Palestinian armed faction governing the Gaza Strip, launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, killing over 1,200 people, the frequency of violent incidents targeting Palestinians increased, prompting the warning message.
When U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken visited Israel on the 30th of last month and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he urged immediate action to hold extremist Israeli settlers accountable for the violence committed against Palestinians in the West Bank.
The U.S., which has provided military support to Israel in this war, appears to be taking this step in consideration of the international community's attention to civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip. Israel faced strong international criticism after raiding the Jabalia refugee camp, the largest refugee camp in Gaza, and the Al-Shifa hospital.
Moreover, President Joe Biden has recently been trailing former President Donald Trump in public opinion polls, and if civilian casualties among Palestinians surge, criticism from Arab Americans and progressive groups is expected to intensify.
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