A senior member of the Yesha Council has expressed outrage at what he says is the Israeli government’s inadequate response to escalating international sanctions targeting Israelis in Judea and Samaria.
The official’s comments come as the U.S. State Department announced measures on Wednesday against an Israeli group in Judea and Samaria and the European Union is considering sanctions against Finance Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds frequent meetings about the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor’s request for arrest warrants against him and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, sanctions against organizations and individuals in Judea and Samaria have received only a few press releases and no concrete action.
A senior Yesha Council official told Israel Hayom that two weeks ago, Netanyahu promised to appoint a project manager to address the sanctions issue, but nothing has happened.
“We’ve had enough of words and press releases. The situation where law-abiding people in legitimate settlement organizations find themselves under sanctions without anyone speaking up—this will not continue,” the official stated.
He added, “The prime minister received an orderly work plan, and we will no longer be satisfied with press releases—only actions.”
In a meeting two weeks ago, Netanyahu committed to the heads of the local government councils in Judea and Samaria that he would appoint a project manager to handle the sanctions and provide them with a toolkit. On Wednesday, the senior Yesha Council official demanded that the project manager be appointed at that day’s Security Cabinet meeting.
According to the official, “We demand that the project manager be appointed this evening at the Security Cabinet meeting and be given a toolkit to act. Netanyahu needs to know that what started [U.S. sanctions] with a farmer in the Hebron Hills will end up at the Prime Minister’s Residence.”
Originally published by Israel Hayom.
