The Canadian sanctions, which come in the wake of similar measures taken by allies including the United States and Britain, target four individuals accused of direct or indirect involvement in acts of violence against Palestinian civilians and their property..
The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the sanctions prohibit transactions related to these individuals and ban their entry into Canada.
Settler violence in the West Bank is a source of growing concern among Israel’s Western allies. The European Union and New Zealand imposed sanctions on violent settlers, and urged Israel to make greater efforts to address the violence..
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie said in the statement, “The escalation of violence by extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank raises serious concerns and poses risks.”
Great for peace and security in the region“.
She added, “With these measures, we are conveying a clear message that acts of violence committed by extremist settlers are unacceptable and that the perpetrators of such violence will face consequences.”“.
Violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank reached its highest level in more than 15 years in 2023, and escalated further after the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip in response to the Hamas attack on October 7..
Canada designated Hamas a terrorist organization and earlier this month imposed sanctions on individuals accused of providing military training and resources to the movement..
Canada also pledged on Thursday to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza worth 65 million Canadian dollars (47.8 million US dollars). The funding includes $25 million Canadian dollars previously announced for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and an additional $40 million Canadian dollars for UNRWA and other relief groups in the region..
Israel occupied the West Bank in the 1967 war, and the area has been under military occupation since then, and Israeli settlements are constantly expanding. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s religious nationalist government has encouraged settlements, causing tensions with Washington.
In February, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that Washington considers the West Bank settlements inconsistent with international law, in a return to the American position that the administration of former President Donald Trump retreated from..
Most international powers consider the settlements illegal. Israel rejects this, based on claims of a historical right to the West Bank. The Palestinians aspire for the West Bank to be part of an independent state in the future that also includes Gaza and East Jerusalem.
#Canada #imposes #sanctions #Israelis #bans #entering #country #due #violence #West #Bank