In a swift move just hours into his second term, President Donald Trump lifted sanctions imposed by his predecessor, Joe Biden, on extremist settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank—a decision celebrated by Israel’s far-right leaders.
The Biden administration had sanctioned Israeli settler groups and individuals accused of violence against Palestinians, citing concerns over escalating attacks that followed the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in southern Israel. Critics accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of failing to curb the violence.
Trump’s decision to rescind the sanctions drew strong praise from Israeli far-right figures. Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s Finance Minister, expressed his gratitude, calling the reversal a victory for democracy and sovereignty.
“I sincerely thank President Donald Trump for his just decision to lift the sanctions imposed by the Biden administration against settlers and activists in right-wing organizations,’’ Smotrich wrote on X. “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 that should guide relations between friendly nations.’’
Former National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also lauded the move, describing it as “historic.”
Trump’s decision marks a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, with potential implications for the already volatile Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
