US announces sanctions on largely dormant West Bank terror group Lions’ Den
Group emerged in Nablus in late 2022 but has not taken responsibility for an attack since July 2023
The US State Department announced on Thursday sanctions against the Lions’ Den terror group that was established over two years ago in the northern West Bank, despite the group being largely inactive since last summer.
“The United States condemns any and all acts of violence committed in the West Bank, whoever the perpetrators, and we will use the tools at our disposal to expose and hold accountable those who threaten peace and stability there,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.
The Lions’ Den emerged in late 2022 in the city of Nablus in the northern West Bank as violence surged in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and carried out a number of terror attacks. It has been largely dormant over the past year, and has not claimed responsibility for an attack since mid-2023.
In October 2022, Lions’ Den claimed responsibility for several drive-by shootings in the Nablus area. Lions’ Den members opened fire at Israeli vehicles driving close to the settlement of Elon Moreh, injuring a taxi driver and damaging vehicles. In a separate attack, numerous shots were fired toward the West Bank settlement of Har Bracha, the State Department said.
In September 2022, Lions’ Den fighters injured and killed Palestinian civilians during clashes between Palestinian fighters and Palestinian Authority Security Forces in Nablus, the US announcement added.
The announcement also cited April 2024 Palestinian media reports of Lions’ Den fighters targeting Israeli forces with small arms at an Israeli checkpoint in Nablus. However, these reports were never confirmed, the group never claimed responsibility for that attack and it could well have been perpetrated by Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters.
The US has also recently sanctioned 13 Israeli settlers accused of committing violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, as well as two outposts and four groups.
Tensions beyond the Green Line have been high since Hamas’s October 7 onslaught, which saw terrorists infiltrate Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 251.
Since October 7, troops have arrested some 4,150 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank, including more than 1,750 affiliated with Hamas. According to the Palestinian Authority health ministry, more than 520 West Bank Palestinians have been killed in that time. According to the IDF, most have been killed during violent clashes with troops.
