A visa ban has been imposed by the United States of America on extremists who might be responsible for violence on Israeli citizens in the West Bank since the horrible 7 October terror attacks by Hamas. United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken stated that attacks by both Israeli settlers on Palestinians and Palestinians accused of violence in the West Bank will not be accepted into the United States under any circumstances and will not be tolerated. The ban comes shortly after the US accepted Israel into the US Visa Waiver Program, allowing Israeli citizens visa-free travel into the US.
Hate crimes and attacks in the West Bank have significantly spiked since the attack on Israel on 7 October, and reports about Israeli’s using the ongoing war to seize land in the West Bank has also become an issue. The UN has found evidence for 314 settler attacks in the West Bank since 7 October, also resulting in casualties against citizens of Palestinian heritage and further damage claims against Palestinian owned property. Four Israeli’s, including three security forces personnel, have also been killed in attacks by Palestinians in the West Bank over the same period.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a statement on Tuesday, “We have underscored to the Israeli government the need to do more to hold accountable extremist settlers who have committed violent attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank”, and US President Joe Biden has also repeatedly stated that these attacks are unacceptable.
