From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Israel must prosecute extremist settler attackers, says US envoy to UN
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield urges Israeli authorities to intervene when extremist settlers launch attacks against Palestinians and hold perpetrators to account.
Such attacks throughout the West Bank have continued unabated, with rights groups long lamenting that Israeli authorities fail to prosecute such crimes.
Thomas-Greenfield notes that the US will continue sanctioning such Israeli extremists in the absence of any prosecution by Israeli authorities.
The US envoy also reiterates US concern over the upcoming Thursday deadline of the corresponding banking agreement between Israeli and Palestinian banks.
Washington has been pushing Israel to extend the agreement for another year, warning that failure to do so risks collapsing the Palestinian economy in the West Bank.
Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has thus far resisted extending the agreement, and in the past has pushed for punitive measures to be taken against the Palestinian Authority in exchange for his cooperation.
