The European Union, Canada, and the USA are imposing personal sanctions on settlers, exemplary citizens, reservists, and supporters of settlements, organizations, and associations. Where is the state of Israel in all of this?
If I had told you a year ago that Israel would endure the worst massacre in its history and, a few months later, face a wave of international sanctions against its citizens, you would have thought I was hallucinating. But unfortunately, this is not an illusion. The wave that started with the false "settler violence" campaign emanated from the Biden administration and spread quickly.
Last week, personal sanctions were imposed on Reut Ben Chaim, the leader of the "Order 9" organization, and her colleague, Shlomo Sarid. These two individuals founded a civilian movement, without budget or PR, in protest of goods being transferred under the guise of "humanitarian aid."
Alongside families of hostages and fallen soldiers, they cried out to stop the aid that goes directly to Hamas, begging for a sign of life or a humanitarian gesture for the hostages in return. There is nothing more humane than "Order 9" blocking roads and demanding not to supply oxygen to the enemy when your sons and daughters are fighting or held captive there.
But the hammer fell on Reut, a reserve soldier's wife and mother of eight from Netivot, and on Shlomo, a reservist himself. And where is the state of Israel? Nonexistent.
Last week, the European Union imposed new sanctions against settlers and announced it is considering sanctions on the Regavim organization for "supporting settlements in the West Bank," as the movement works to demolish Palestinian property. The main rationale is a petition filed by Regavim against an illegal school funded by Europe, which led to a court ruling to dismantle the illegal structure. Got it? In the European Union, they break the law, and when Israel finally enforces it, the Europeans act against those who demand compliance. Even chutzpah has no bounds. A foreign state mistreats a legitimate, recognized civil organization, and where is Israel?
The European Union, Canada, and the USA are imposing personal sanctions on settlers and supporters of settlements, organizations, and associations. Their bank accounts and credit cards are blocked, their names are tarnished, and their freedom of movement in the world is impaired. Even IDF soldiers are in America's crosshairs: the US State Department announced it is considering sanctions on five military units, including Netzach Yehuda. They eventually backed down, temporarily, only due to public protest in Israel.
Meanwhile, CNN published an investigation in which reporters collaborating with extremist organizations used facial recognition technologies (!) on Israeli officers from Netzach Yehuda and Yamam, aiming to impose American sanctions on these units. They feed the US State Department while the soldiers risk their lives on the battlefield. And the State of Israel? Crickets.
Citizens are abandoned; almost no one in the elected government and bureaucracy cares. The only minister who responded is Smotrich, but his magazine is limited and running empty. A proper state would address, resent, and fight back against their freedom of operation here; one could harm their subcontractors, the organizations they generously fund. It could have declared its own sanctions against organizations acting against Israel, revoked visas of hostile organization employees. There are many ways, the main thing is to be active. Right now, this war is conducted one-sidedly. The citizens and soldiers are paying the price.
