This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – Middle East/Israel Morning Brief
U.S. residents of Judea and Samaria sue Biden over sanctions
A pair of Israeli-Americans recently filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration alleging that it had improperly imposed sanctions on them under an executive order intended to combat "extremist settler violence" in Judea and Samaria.
Matthew Mainen, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs on behalf of the National Jewish Advocacy Center, told JNS that the case, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, raises basic questions about the rights of U.S. citizens to due process under the law.
American citizens have a right to be heard and to challenge the government before the government takes action against them or deprives them of some interest," Mainen said. "The Biden administration, with what appears to be zero due diligence, did just that."
In February, U.S. President Joe Biden Biden issued executive order 14115, "on imposing certain sanctions on persons undermining peace, security and stability in the West Bank," which was intended to combat "extremist settler violence" in Judea and Samaria that the Biden administration had determined to be undermining a path to a two-state solution.
The text of the order says that it could be applied to any "foreign person" that the Biden administration determines to be undermining peace and security in the "West Bank," but makes no provisions for U.S. nationals.
In first, U.S., U.K., Israel conduct joint strikes on Yemeni targets
Arab media outlets reported an unprecedented military operation Friday, marking the first coordinated strikes by U.S., U.K., and Israeli forces since the escalation of regional hostilities. According to international sources, the operation comprised three waves of strikes targeting critical infrastructure across Houthi-controlled territories, Israel Hayom reported.
The operation, totaling approximately 30 strikes, focused on several strategic locations: underground military installations in the Amran governorate, military complexes in Sanaa, a power generation facility south of the capital, and the strategic western ports of Al-Hudaydah and Ras Issa.
A mass pro-Hamas demonstration took place in Sanaa concurrent with the military operation. Participants rallied behind the Shia-Zaidi terrorist movement's ideological slogan, chanting "Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse upon the Jews, Victory for Islam." Eyewitness documentation captured smoke plumes rising from multiple strike locations across the capital.
Congress hits ICC officials in response to Netanyahu, Gallant war crimes arrest warrants
The U.S. House on Thursday approved H.R. 23, the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, a bill imposing sanctions on International Criminal Court officials in response to the court's issuance of an arrest warrant last year against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-defense minister Yoav Gallant, reported the Jewish Press.
The bipartisan vote, 243-140, demonstrated continued majority support in Congress for Israel's military response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas atrocities, even as most House Democrats opposed the measure. Forty-five Democrats supported the legislation. Last summer, 42 Democrats supported a similar bill.
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who authored the bill, issued a statement saying, "This bill is about protecting America and our allies' sovereignty from a rogue, globalist court. The ICC investigating and issuing arrest warrants for the sitting Prime Minister of Israel is a blatant assault on a critical ally's sovereignty amid an existential fight against Hamas. Make no mistake, if the ICC is allowed to target Israel unchecked, they will go after American service members and veterans again in the future."
