Imposing Further Sanctions to Promote Peace, Security, and Stability in the West Bank

The United States continues to take action against those who undermine peace, security, and stability in the West Bank, which undermine the national security and foreign policy objectives of the United States, including the viability of a two-state solution, ensuring Israelis and Palestinians can attain equal measures of security, prosperity, and freedom, and reducing the risk of regional destabilization. There is no justification for extremist violence against civilians, whatever their national origin, ethnicity, race, or religion.

The Department of State is imposing additional sanctions, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14115, to promote accountability for individuals and entities associated with actions that undermine peace, security, and stability in the West Bank. This follows the State Department’s announcement of a related visa restriction policy on December 5, 2023, as well as its first sanctions actions under E.O. 14115, on February 1, 2024.

These individuals and entities are being designated pursuant to E.O. 14115, which authorizes sanctions against those involved in certain actions, including violence or threats of violence targeting civilians, efforts to place civilians in reasonable fear of violence with the purpose or effect of necessitating a change of residence to avoid such violence, destruction of property, seizure or dispossession of property by private actors, or terrorist activity, affecting the West Bank. Today’s action further underscores our commitment to promoting peace, security, and stability for civilians in the West Bank and accountability for the individuals and entities involved in these actions.

The Department is designating the following individual pursuant to section 1(a)(i)(B)(1) for being responsible for or complicit in, or for having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in planning, ordering, otherwise directing, or participating in an act of violence or threat of violence targeting civilians, affecting the West Bank:

ZVI BAR YOSEF (BAR YOSEF) engaged in repeated violence and attempts to engage in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

Pursuant to section 1(a)(iv), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, BAR YOSEF:

ZVIS FARM was established by and is owned by BAR YOSEF. BAR YOSEF uses the outpost as a base from which he perpetrates violence against Palestinians and prevents local Palestinian farmers from accessing and using their lands.

Pursuant to section 1(a)(i)(B)(1), the following individual is being designated for being responsible for or complicit in, or for having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in planning, ordering, otherwise directing, or participating in an act of violence or threat of violence targeting civilians, affecting the West Bank, and pursuant to section 1(a)(i)(B)(2) for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in planning, ordering, otherwise directing, or participating in efforts to place civilians in reasonable fear of violence with the purpose or effect of necessitating a change of residence to avoid such violence, affecting the West Bank:

MOSHE SHARVIT (SHARVIT) repeatedly harassed, threatened, and attacked Palestinian civilians and Israeli human rights defenders in the vicinity of MOSHES FARM, an outpost in the West Bank. In October 2023, SHARVIT issued a threat against the residents of the Palestinian village of Ein Shibli, and while armed, ordered them to leave their homes; this threat resulted in up to 100 Palestinian civilians fleeing their village in fear for their lives.

Pursuant to section 1(a)(iv), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, SHARVIT:

MOSHES FARM is owned and was founded by SHARVIT in 2021. SHARVIT uses the outpost as a base from which he perpetrates violence against Palestinians.

Pursuant to section 1(a)(i)(B)(4), the following individual is being designated for being responsible for or complicit in, or for having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in planning, ordering, otherwise directing, or participating in seizure or dispossession of property by private actors, affecting the West Bank:

NERIYA BEN PAZI (BEN PAZI) has expelled Palestinian shepherds from hundreds of acres of land. In August 2023, settlers including BEN PAZI attacked Palestinians near the village of Wadi as-Seeq.

Sanctions Implications

As a result of today’s action, and in accordance with E.O. 14115, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Additionally, all individuals or entities that have ownership, either directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt. These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. Additionally, the entry of designated individuals into the United States is suspended pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 8693.

The power and integrity of U.S. government sanctions derive not only from the U.S. government’s ability to designate and add persons to the SDN List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior.

Petitions for removal from the SDN List may be sent to: OFAC.Reconsideration@treasury.gov. Petitioners may also refer to the Department of State’s Delisting Guidance page.

For more information on E.O. 14115, see full text.