President Joe Biden recently brought back the possible creation of a new policy that would deny visas and establish travel bans on “extremist” Israeli settlers who have “committed violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.”
President Biden’s Nov. 18 op-ed [1], published by the Washington Post, outlines what he refers to as “basic principles for how to move forward from [the war in Gaza], to give the world a foundation on which to build.”
The piece emphasizes the Biden Administration’s continued support for a two-state solution, stating that “[reaching] it will take commitments from Israelis and Palestinians, as well as from the United States and our allies and partners.”
While emphatic in his support of Israel in its war to eradicate Hamas, President Biden is firm in denouncing violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, expressing that “extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank must stop and that those committing the violence must be held accountable.”
The US President’s most substantial, concrete move against Israel since the onset of his administration comes at a time of increasing pressure from Muslim Americans within the United States and broadening reports of violence within the West Bank.
A Nov. 15 article published by France24 cites a report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs that there have been 235 alleged attacks by Israeli settlers since Oct. 7.