Canada Sanctions Israeli Settlers Amidst Rising Violence and Calls for Gaza Recolonization
Ottawa has joined international efforts to sanction extremist Israeli settlers, including far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, as violence escalates in the occupied West Bank and debate intensifies regarding the future of Gaza. The sanctions come following recent denunciations by UN experts of settlement attacks targeting Palestinians.
Religious Zionists believe that the biblical territory of Israel must be recolonized and ensure Jewish control to eventually lead to redemption, the arrival of the Messiah, etc.
Arie Perliger, professor at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell and specialist from the Israeli far right
According to Arie Perliger, a specialist on the Israeli far-right at the university of Massachusetts lowell, approximately 15 to 20% of the Israeli population subscribes to this ideology, with a discernible violent faction within it. This ideology centers on the belief that the biblical territory of Israel must be “recolonized” to establish complete Jewish control, ultimately paving the way for messianic redemption.
The current conflict has ignited discussions about a potential return of Israeli settlers to the Gaza Strip, a prospect championed by figures like Ben-Gvir and Smotrich. Charles Freilich, a security expert, suggests that for these ultra-right-wing politicians, the re-establishment of colonies in Gaza is a central justification for the ongoing military offensive.
However, freilich believes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is unlikely to pursue this course of action, recognizing the severe international backlash and potential domestic repercussions. Netanyahu faces pressure from the United States and European Union, who have consistently opposed Israeli settlement activity in the occupied territories.
The sanctions imposed by Canada align with similar measures taken by other nations, reflecting growing international concern over the escalating violence and the potential for further destabilization in the region. Settlement outposts, considered illegal under international law, have expanded significantly in recent years, particularly in Area C of the West Bank, which is under full Israeli military control. key locations experiencing increased settler violence include areas around Nablus, Hebron, and Ramallah.
With the agency France-Presse, Associated Press and the New York Times
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