WASHINGTON – The authorities in the United States have imposed visa restrictions on a former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) sergeant due to his involvement in human rights abuses.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed on Wednesday that the restrictions were imposed due to a ‘gross violation of human rights, namely an extrajudicial killing in the West Bank’.
These restrictions will prevent Elor Azaria and his immediate family from entering the United States and come as a strong message from the Biden administration.
Miller also disclosed that the State Department is preparing to extend visa restrictions to other individuals implicated in actions that destabilize the West Bank’s peace and security.
These restrictions target those responsible for violence against people or property, and those who have obstructed civilians’ access to essential services, including food, water, electricity, and medical supplies. It is to be noted that the immediate family members of these individuals may also be affected.
The Biden administration has recently increased punitive measures against those accused of violence and human rights violations in the West Bank. US officials have urged the Netanyahu government to take more substantial actions against violent settlers.
The US official stated in his press briefing that there hasn’t been appropriate accountability across the board regarding the violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, adding that while the Israeli government has taken some steps to address settler violence, further action is needed.
“Our aim is not only to impose accountability on individuals who have engaged in violence or actions increasing instability in the West Bank, but also to signal that we are observing these actions and will not hesitate to respond,” Miller emphasized.
It is to be highlighted that despite these measures, the Biden administration has not yet decided whether to restrict aid to the IDF battalion Netzah Yehuda, which has been found guilty of gross human rights violations before the Gaza conflict.
As far as the legality of the action by the Biden administration is concerned, Miller clarified that US law mandates visa restrictions for officials found to have committed gross human rights violations.
