The Biden Administration has announced sanctions against Elor Azariya, a former IDF soldier convicted in 2017 for the killing of a wounded terrorist in Hebron in 2016. These sanctions extend to Azariya's immediate family members and bar them from entering the United States. The move is part of a broader initiative targeting right-wing Israeli individuals, organizations, and settlers in Judea and Samaria.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the US State Department outlined the rationale behind the sanctions: "The Department of State is taking action to uphold accountability for serious human rights violations and activities that undermine peace, security, or stability in the West Bank."
Elor Azariya, designated under Section 7031(c), is cited for his involvement in what the announcement describes as an extrajudicial killing. The sanctions also include visa restrictions on others deemed to have contributed to destabilizing actions in the West Bank, such as violence against individuals or property, and restrictions may extend to their immediate family members.
The statement emphasizes the importance of accountability for crimes committed against both Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank, underscoring its role in promoting long-term stability and justice in the region. The State Department reiterated its call for both the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority to hold accountable those responsible for violence in the West Bank.
Elor Azariya, a former IDF medic, shot and killed a terrorist who had been neutralized after a stabbing incident in Hebron on March 24, 2016. Convicted of manslaughter, he served nine months of an 18-month sentence before being released in May 2018 following an appeals court decision.