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The U.S. Sanctions Israelis - Another Prize for Terrorism

(Jerusalem Post) Liat Collins - I hate hate crimes, wherever they are perpetrated and whoever is the target. Nonetheless, I was surprised that Joe Biden was so concerned by reports of alleged "settler violence" that he personally issued an executive order against four Israelis last week. It is fair to assume that most attacks against Jews, Muslims, or members of other communities don't make it to the desk of the Oval Office. Biden's decision is not about combating violence. It's an attempt at moral equivalence. The presidential order establishes a mechanism of financial sanctions against people (well, Jews) accused of "participating in specific actions in the West Bank, which include threats of violence against civilians." These are abhorrent acts indeed, but fortunately figures show that "settler violence" has decreased in recent months and is limited in scope and intensity. It is also condemned by Israeli public figures from the president, prime minister, and chief rabbi down. According to Israel's Channel 11, one of the four has never been indicted for violence. The other three have all faced proceedings in the Israeli justice system - a sign that the country takes the matter seriously even without U.S. presidential pushing. If we weren't already so used to such double standards, it would be astonishing that the president of the U.S. thought that tackling "settler violence" should be the highest priority at a time when Israel is still under rocket fire from Iranian proxies Hamas, Hizbullah, and the Houthis, and still reeling from the Hamas mega-atrocity of Oct. 7. Given the ongoing Iranian attacks on U.S. forces and international shipping, it should be clear that it is not the Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria who are undermining regional stability. No matter what atrocity Hamas carries out, the Western world will ensure that the Jewish state gets equal blame. Using "settler violence" to provide an aura of even-handedness when compared to the utter depravity of the Hamas onslaught is warped and dangerous.
2024-02-12 00:00:00
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