The EU Council on Monday sanctioned ‘’extremist settlers’’ in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria and East Jerusalem as well as ‘’violent activists’’ blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza, under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime.
‘’The EU Council approved additional restrictive measures against five persons and three entities under the European Union’s Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime,’’ the EU’s external service announced.
‘’The listed individuals and entities are responsible for serious and systematic human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank, including abuse of the right of everyone to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental integrity, the right to property, the right to private and family life, to freedom of religion or belief and the right to education,’’ the EU said in a statement.
The listings include Israeli settler Moshe Sharvit and his ‘Moshe’s Farm’ in the Jordan Valley. ‘’From his farm, Moshe Sharvit engaged in settler violence and threats towards Palestinian residents in shepherding communities close to his outpost in the West Bank. His physical and verbal harassment against these communities has escalated since October 2023,’’ the EU said.
The EU Council also listed Zvi Bar Yosef and his unauthorised outpost known as ‘Zvi’s Farm’ in the West Bank. ‘’Zvi Bar Yosef has repeatedly attacked and committed acts of violence against Palestinians from the villages of Jibya, Kaubar (Kobar), and Umm Safa, causing severe injuries to some of them,’’ it said.
The designations also include Tzav 9, an Israeli group of activists founded in January 2024, who are accused by the EU of regularly blocking humanitarian aid trucks delivering food, water and fuel to Gaza. ‘’Tzav 9’s actions include violent protests, attacks against food trucks and the destruction of food,’’ the EU said.
Two other activists, Baruch Marzel and Ben-Zion Gopstein were also sanctioned by the EU. The EU. claimed Sharvit and Bar Yosef had engaged in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria). Marzel stood accused of “calling for an ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians,” while Gopstein was said to lead an “extremist” organization.
The EU said that those listed under the sanctions regime are subject to an asset freeze and the provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, to them or for their benefit, is prohibited. Additionally, a travel ban to the EU applies to the natural persons listed.