Israeli Bank Accounts of 2 Settlers ‘Sanctioned’ by U.S. Frozen

By Matis Glenn

Two of the four Israeli citizens who were sanctioned by the U.S. government last week were informed this week by Israeli banks that their personal accounts had been frozen, Israeli media outlets reported.

The first man holds two accounts at Bank Leumi; one personal, jointly with his wife, and the other business, which he holds together with his brother. He was informed on Sunday that they both had been suspended.

On Monday, another one of the men sanctioned, who held an account at the state-owned Postal Bank, which he shared with his wife, was informed that his account had been suspended.

The U.S. State Department alleges that the four sanctioned men were involved in violence against Palestinians in Yehudah and Shomron. On Thursday, President Joe Biden signed an executive order sanctioning them, though the group vehemently denies any such activity.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich vowed to restore the bank accounts. “I will make sure that banks do not harm the citizens of Israel because of an absurd decree that has no justification.

“We are not a banana republic of the United States,” he told Kan news on Sunday.