UK imposes sanctions on Israeli settler outposts in West Bank

Britain on Tuesday sanctioned Israeli settler organizations that it said had sponsored violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and called on Israel to "stop settler expansion on Palestinian land".

The sanctions target seven settler outposts or organizations involved in facilitating, inciting, promoting or providing support for activity that amounts to a serious abuse of the human rights of Palestinians, Britain said.

"The inaction of the Israeli government has allowed an environment of impunity to flourish where settler violence has been allowed to increase unchecked," British foreign minister David Lammy said, noting settlers had also targeted schools and families with young children.

"The Israeli government must crack down on settler violence and stop settler expansion on Palestinian land," he added.

The latest sanctions, which impose asset freezes on the organizations, represent the third set of measures against persons involved in settler violence in the West Bank, Britain said.

Reuters