S'pore imposes sanctions & entry bans on 4 Israeli settlers for acts of violence against Palestinians in West Bank

Singapore has imposed financial sanctions and entry bans on four Israelis for their involvement in "egregious acts of violence" against Palestinians in the West Bank, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Nov. 21.

Four individuals

The four individuals are Meir Mordechai Ettinger, Elisha Yered, Ben-Zion Gopstein and Baruch Marzel.

Meir Mordechai Ettinger, 34

Meir Mordechai Ettinger, 34, is a member of a radical Israeli youth group, Hilltop Youth.

Hilltop Youth has been designated as an extremist group by U.S. Department of Treasury for repeated violence against Palestinians and Palestinian homes in the West Bank.

According to the Times of Israel, he is the grandson of assassinated extremist rabbi, Meir Kahane.

In 2015, he was accused of being involved in an arson attack on a Palestinian home that killed an 18-month-old baby.

He has been sanctioned by the European Union (EU), Australia and Canada.

Elisha Yered, 24

Elisha Yered, 24 is an affiliate of Hilltop Youth and was suspected of being involved in the shooting of a Palestinian in 2023.

In 2024, following the disappearance of a 14-year-old Israeli boy, Yered rallied for searches of Palestinian villages, which eventually devolved into violence.

He has been sanctioned by the EU, Australia and Canada.

Ben-Zion Gopstein, 56

Ben-Zion Gopstein, 56, is the founder and leader of radical right-wing Jewish supremacist group, Lehava, which has conducted repeated acts of violence against Palestinians.

In January 2024, Gopstein was found guilty of incitement to violence and to terrorism by the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court.

He has been sanctioned by the EU and Canada.

Baruch Marzel, 66

Baruch Marzel, 66, is a member of the far-right political party, "Otzma Yehudit" (Jewish Power).

He was formerly a leader of the anti-Arab Kach Party, which was founded by extremist rabbi Meir Kahane.

The party was banned by Israeli authorities in 1994 for being anti-democratic and racist.

Along with Gopstein, Marzel was barred from a 2019 snap election in Israel.

He has been sanctioned by the EU.

Settlements make it harder for two-state solution

The financial sanctions and entry bans will take effect immediately, MFA announced.

MFA characterised the Israelis's actions as "unlawful", saying that they "undermine and jeopardise prospects for a two-state solution".

MFA also said:

"Singapore reiterates its view that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law. Their presence and expansion will make it much harder to arrive at a viable two-state solution.

As a firm supporter of international law and the two-state solution, Singapore opposes any unilateral attempts to change facts on the ground through acts which are illegal under international law."

It also called on the Israeli government to restrain acts of settler violence and to hold the perpetrators accountable.

Earlier in July 2024, the International Court of Justice issued an opinion that Israel's settlement policy in occupied Palestinian territories is in breach of international law.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said then that Singapore was studying the opinion while pointing out that Singapore has long viewed Israeli settlements as illegal under international law.

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