Japan on Tuesday morning announced sanctions against four Israelis for alleged violence against Palestinian Authority Arabs in Judea and Samaria. Sanctions were imposed on Yinon Levi, Tzvi Bar-Yosef, Moshe Sharvit and Neriya Ben-Pazi. This is the first time that Japan has imposed sanctions on Israelis. The Japanese government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said that "the number of violent incidents by some Israeli settlers has dramatically increased since last October. In this situation, we have decided to designate them as targets for asset freezes." "For the purpose of contributing to the international efforts for achieving international peace aimed to resolve issues surrounding violent acts by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, and in view of the measures taken by other major countries, the Government of Japan has introduced the following measures under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act, based on the Cabinet Understanding of 'Asset Freeze for Israeli settlers involved in violent acts as of July 23, 2024,'" the Japanese Foreign Ministry stated. The United States, Britain, and Canada have already imposed sanctions on Jews from Judea and Samaria for similar reasons. Neriya Ben-Pazi in particular has been named as a sanctioned individual by multiple countries for charges that include attempting to seize Palestinian Authority Arabs' property and leading attacks on Palestinian Authority Arab farmers. Related articles: Beyond Tokyo: A Kosher Traveler’s Guide to Hidden Gems in Japan Japanese crime boss tries to sell plutonium to Iranians Japanese fisherman sells tuna fish for 1.3 million dollars Three Israelis rescued from Mount Hakuba in Japan China has also taken steps ostensibly hostile to Israel recently, including claiming "Palestinian-Israeli conflict stems from Israel’s prolonged occupation of Palestinian territory and Israel’s long-standing oppression of the Palestinian people", demanding Israel bring Gaza greater quantities of humanitarian aid, criticizing Israel for collateral damages to Gaza, and most recently attempting to mediate a unity government of the Palestinians by hosting a conference between Hamas and Fatah. The Americans have gone even further and, of late, have imposed sanctions on bodies such as Tzav 9 that protest against the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza. This move has drawn much international criticism and, at present, a battle is being waged to have the sanctions lifted from the organization. At the end of the week it was reported that the Americans were considering imposing sanctions on Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir as well. Minister Smotrich responded: "This is a sad decision that stems from internal political needs of those who purport to lead the world's largest democracy and are acting with blatantly undemocratic tools against a loyal partner that is the only democracy in the Middle East." "I love my people and my country and am proud of the privilege and duty that have fallen to me to serve them, to strengthen our hold on the homeland in Judea and Samaria and to prevent the establishment of a terrorist state that would endanger the existence of the State of Israel, and am prepared to pay any price for that," he clarified. "In the face of the self-sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of IDF regulars and reservists who are throwing their lives away for the sake of Israel's existence and security, in the face of the courage of their parents and the determination of their families and in the face of the faith that this great people has demonstrated since the war began, the American and European sanctions are nothing."
