Israeli Minister Praises Trump for Lifting Sanctions on Settlers
Israel’s far-right Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has expressed gratitude to US President Donald Trump for his decision to lift sanctions on Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Smotrich lauded Trump’s “unwavering and uncompromising support” for Israel, describing it as a reflection of his deep connection to the Jewish people and their historic rights to the land.
“These sanctions were a severe and blatant foreign intervention in Israel’s internal affairs and an unjustified violation of democratic principles and the mutual respect between friendly nations,” Smotrich stated.
Trump Reverses Biden’s Policy on Settler Sanctions
Trump, who was sworn in for a second term on Monday, quickly repealed an executive order issued by his predecessor, Joe Biden, in February 2024.
Biden’s order had enabled US authorities to impose sanctions on individuals and groups accused of violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, a territory occupied by Israel since 1967. The US Treasury and State Departments had previously used this authority to blacklist several far-right figures, including one individual linked to a riot in Huwara, where Palestinian homes were burned, and a civilian was killed.
At the time, Biden condemned settler violence, calling it a “serious threat to peace, security, and stability” and stating that attacks on Palestinian communities had reached “intolerable levels.”
Reactions from Israeli Officials
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Trump’s return to office, sending him a video message in which he expressed optimism about the future of US-Israel relations.
Meanwhile, Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel’s far-right former national security minister, also hailed the decision, arguing that it corrected a long-standing injustice. He criticized those who, in his view, “confused friends with enemies” by supporting the sanctions.
The reversal comes amid escalating tensions in the West Bank, where violence has surged since the outbreak of the Gaza war following Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
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