Congresswoman Ramirez Statement on Administration Action to Address Settler Violence at the West Bank

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Vice Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee, released the following statement after President Joe Biden issued an Executive Order implementing new measures to address actions that undermine peace, security, and stability in the West Bank:

“Yesterday, President Biden issued an executive order to address the escalating violence against Palestinians in the West Bank by imposing financial sanctions on individuals responsible for attacks, including American citizens, and barring them from entering the United States. I applaud the administration for heeding my call, the call of community leaders and organizers, and the call of 19 of my colleagues who advocated to address the settler violence that has claimed the lives of more than 232 Palestinians, including 61 children. Now, we must continue the urgent work of de-escalation, prioritizing diplomacy and using all resources at our disposal to protect civilians and avoid a regional war.”

BACKGROUND: 

Back in December, Congresswomen Ramirez (IL-03) and Sara Jacobs (CA-51) led 18 members of Congress in a letter to call on President Joe Biden to take immediate action to address settler violence and protect the lives and well-being of Palestinians in the West Bank. In the letter, also addressed to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, the members of Congress urged the Administration to thoroughly investigate and take the urgent necessary actions to hold all parties accountable, including determining if any of the 60,000 Americans in Israeli settlements and outposts are responsible for crimes committed against Palestinians.

Since the horrific terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, settler violence in the West Bank has been on the rise. According to reports from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 1,014 people, including 388 children, have been displaced; 232 Palestinians, including 61 children, were killed; and more than 3,000 Palestinians, including 500 children, have been wounded during settler violence in the West Bank.  So far, 2023 has been the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank since OCHA began recording casualties in 2005.