Wed Jan 22 21:09:54 IST 2025: **Trump Lifts Sanctions on Israeli Settler Groups, Drawing Praise from Far-Right**

JERUSALEM – Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump has lifted sanctions imposed on over 30 Israeli settler groups and individuals by the previous Biden administration, sparking celebrations among Israel’s far-right. The sanctions, implemented in 2024, targeted entities deemed responsible for violent and extremist activities in the occupied West Bank, including organizations like Amana and individuals convicted of violence against Palestinians.

The move, one of several executive orders signed by Trump upon his inauguration, has been lauded by figures like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and former National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who described the sanctions as “blatant foreign intervention.” Both officials are prominent members of Israel’s far-right, known for their pro-settlement stance.

The Biden administration had imposed the sanctions amidst rising tensions and increased settler violence in the West Bank, which reached record highs in 2024 according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. While the Biden administration also attempted to pressure Israel to halt its war on Gaza, the sanctions represented a more targeted approach to expressing disapproval of Israeli actions.

Critics argue that the sanctions were insufficient to address the underlying issue of Israeli settlement expansion on Palestinian land, which many see as an obstacle to a two-state solution. Trump’s reversal of these sanctions, coupled with his past pro-Israel policies, including moving the US embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights, suggests a likely continuation of this stance during his second term.

Analysts point to Trump’s appointments, such as Mike Huckabee as US Ambassador to Israel and Elise Stefanik as UN Ambassador, as further indications of a potential shift towards increased support for Israeli settlement activity and a more overtly pro-Israel foreign policy. These appointments, coupled with Trump’s lifting of the sanctions, raise concerns amongst Palestinians and their supporters about the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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