Israel spied on communication channels between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the US to thwart attempts to sanction Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, according to reports.
Private channels between the US and the PA are allegedly being monitored by Israeli intelligence, insider sources told 972mag and Local Call, with the aim of preventing information passed on by the PA to the US from “developing into sanctions”.
The news comes days after the US, UK and France moved to sanction Israeli settlers involved in crimes against Palestinians – a rare very move by Western allies against Israelis.
There has been a sharp increase in settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war, allegedly with the acquiescence of the Israeli government.
Evidence passed on by the PA, which governs parts of the West Bank not under direct Israeli control, to the US allegedly played a decisive role in President Joe Biden’s decision to issue sanctions against four Israeli settlers earlier this month. This was mimicked on Monday by the UK while France sanctioned 28 individuals.
Two of the individuals sanctioned – Moshe Sharvit and Yinon Levy – had in recent months physically assaulted Palestinians, threatened families at gunpoint, and destroyed property.
Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich responded by asking Israeli banks not to apply the US sanctions.
