Israeli officials on Tuesday condemned new U.S. sanctions against a prominent Israeli settlement development organization and other Israeli companies and individuals as unfounded and politically motivated.
The sanctions, announced on Monday, target Amana and its subsidiary Binyanei Bar Amana Ltd, along with several individuals, for allegedly undermining stability in Judea and Samaria.
Samaria Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan characterized the move as “the swan song of the Biden administration,” calling it “hostile and cynical toward the only democracy in the Middle East.” He accused the outgoing administration of attempting to “embarrass” President-elect Donald Trump through what he called purely political maneuvering.
“There is not one ounce of substantive consideration here, it’s all cynical politics,” Dagan stated, vowing to work with the incoming U.S. government to overturn the sanctions.
Amana and its founder, Ze’ev Hever, strongly refuted the allegations underpinning the sanctions. In a statement to the press, Hever said that the organization has worked for decades “to develop and establish communities in the land legally, in coordination with state institutions.” They dismissed the sanctions as being based on “baseless slanders hurled at Amana by hostile and extreme elements.”
The construction company argued that had the administration properly investigated, rather than relying on “malicious publications,” they would have found the claims lacked factual basis. Amana expressed confidence that the incoming administration and “necessary action by the Israeli government” would result in the sanctions being lifted.
Critics of the sanctions have pointed out that Executive Order 14115, under which they were imposed, raises concerns about due process. A federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Biden’s sanctions is currently pending. Canada has also previously imposed sanctions against Amana.
In addition to Amana and Binyanei Bar Amana, the U.S. Treasury Department also sanctioned Eyal Hari Yehuda Company, the company’s sole owner Itamar Yehuda Levi, Shabtai Koshlevsky and Zohar Sabah.
Dagan also drew attention to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s silence on the matter.
