Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1172 of 19 April 2024 implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2024/1172 19.4.2024 COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2024/1172 of 19 April 2024 implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 of 7 December 2020 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses (1), and in particular Article 14(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Whereas: (1) On 7 December 2020, the Council adopted Regulation (EU) 2020/1998. (2) On 8 December 2020, in the Declaration by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (the ‘High Representative’), on behalf of the European Union, regarding the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, the Union and its Member States reaffirmed their strong commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights around the world. The EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime underscores the Union’s determination to enhance its role in addressing serious human rights violations and abuses worldwide. Achieving the effective enjoyment of human rights by everyone is a strategic goal of the Union. Respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights is a fundamental value of the Union and its common foreign and security policy. (3) In his statement of 16 December 2023, the High Representative stressed the Union’s concern about increased violence against Palestinians by extremist settlers in the occupied West Bank, which has reached unprecedented levels. The Union has continued to reiterate its firm condemnation of settler violence and called for accountability. The Union has also called on Israel to prevent settler violence and ensure that the perpetrators of crimes are held accountable. Since the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel on 7 October 2023, settler violence has increased drastically. (4) In that context, four persons and two entities should be included in the list of natural or legal persons, entities or bodies subject to restrictive measures in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2020/1998. (5) Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 should therefore be amended accordingly, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 is amended as set out in the Annex to this Regulation. Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 19 April 2024. For the Council The President H. LAHBIB (1) OJ L 410 I, 7.12.2020, p. 1. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2024/1172/oj 1/6ANNEX Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 is amended as follows: (1) the following entries are added to the list of natural or legal persons, entities or bodies under heading A ‘Natural persons’: Names (Transliteration into Names Identifying information Reasons for listing Date of listing Latin script) ‘106. Neria BEN PAZI DOB: 28.11.1993 Neria Ben Pazi has established four of the most violent outposts in the 19.4.2024 West Bank in 2019. a.k.a. Naria BEN FAZI Nationality: Israeli He is one of the main perpetrators of the forced displacement of the Gender: male Bedouin community of Wadi Seeq near Ramallah. Since 2021, Neria Ben ID number: 311509004 Pazi has been accused of repeatedly attacking Palestinians in Wadi Seeq and in Deir Jarir and his actions have been likened to torture. On 12 October 2023, he participated in a violent attack in Wadi Seeq, where Palestinians were severely beaten, handcuffed and photographed in their underwear. Settlers urinated on them and extinguished cigarettes on them. He is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses against Palestinians, including torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, which is also of serious concern with regard to the objectives of the common foreign and security policy as set out in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union. 2/6 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2024/1172/oj EN OJ L, 19.4.2024Names (Transliteration into Names Identifying information Reasons for listing Date of listing Latin script) 107. Yinon LEVI DOB: 12.12.1992 Yinon Levi has taken part in multiple violent acts against neighbouring 19.4.2024 villages from his residence in the Mitarim farm illegal outpost. Nationality: Israeli This notably includes storming and damaging houses of Palestinian Gender: male families, including in the presence of women and children, as well as ID number: 203807276 having dogs set on Palestinian shepherds to physically attack them while letting his herd graze on their privately owned lands. He is therefore responsible for serious and widespread human rights violations or abuses targeted at the Palestinians’ right to physical and mental integrity, right to property and right to private and family life, which are also of serious concern as regards the objectives of the common foreign and security policy set out in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2024/1172/oj 3/6 OJ L, 19.4.2024 ENNames (Transliteration into Names Identifying information Reasons for listing Date of listing Latin script) 108. Meir Mordechai רגניטא ריאמ Position(s): member of the Hill- Meir Ettinger is considered a leading figure of the Hilltop Youth, a radical 19.4.2024 ETTINGER top Youth youth group consisting of members known for violent acts against (Hebrew spelling) Palestinians and their villages in the West Bank. DOB: 4.10.1991 The Hilltop Youth settles on hilltops in the West Bank and engages in POB: Kiryat Moshe, Jerusalem, settler violence through so-called “price tag attacks”. The settler violence, Israel including physical and psychosocial harassment, beatings, murder and Nationality: Israeli demolition of property, against Palestinians is of a systematic nature. Gender: male Meir Ettinger encourages and incites attacks and participates in intimidation to force Palestinians off their lands. He has contributed to Associated entity: Hilltop Youth the establishment of illegal settlements and outposts on Palestinian lands across the West Bank, employing and condoning tactics of intimidation, harassment and violence. He was involved in a deadly arson attack in 2015, already being considered part of the Hilltop Youth, on a Palestinian West Bank home that killed two parents and their 18-month-old boy. Therefore, Meir Ettinger is responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses, including torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, as well as violations or abuses of the right to property and the right to private and family life of Palestinians in the West Bank and for supporting and encouraging such acts. Those abuses and violations are also of serious concern with regard to the objectives of the common foreign and security policy as set out in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union. 4/6 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2024/1172/oj EN OJ L, 19.4.2024Names (Transliteration into Names Identifying information Reasons for listing Date of listing Latin script) 109. Elisha YERED דרי עשילא Position(s): member of the Hill- Elisha Yered is an Israeli settler activist in the West Bank and known as 19.4.2024’; top Youth being affiliated with the Hilltop Youth, a radical youth group that engages (Hebrew spelling) in violent acts against Palestinians and their villages in the West Bank. DOB: 2001 The Hilltop Youth engages in settler violence through so-called “price tag Nationality: Israeli attacks”. This settler violence, including physical and psychosocial Gender: male harassment, beatings, murder and demolition of property, against Palestinians is of a systematic nature. Associated entity: Hilltop Youth Elisha Yered encourages such acts and participates in them. He regularly incites violence against Palestinians in the West Bank including by distributing messages such as to “wipe out” a Palestinian village. He personally harassed a Palestinian family, using intimidating and threatening language to impede their freedom of movement on their own land and is involved in the destruction of property of Palestinians in the West Bank. Elisha Yered was part of a group of armed settlers that on 4 August 2023 advanced from the direction of the illegal outpost of Oz Zion to the Palestinian village of Burqa near Ramallah. The settlers fired bullets at the Palestinians, which led to the death of the 19-year old Palestinian Qusai Jammal Mi’tan and wounded several other Palestinians. Therefore, Elisha Yered is responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses, including torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, as well as violations or abuses of the right to property and the right to private and family life of Palestinians in the West Bank and for supporting and encouraging such acts, and is responsible for the advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred which constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence. Those violations or abuses are also of serious concern with regard to the objectives of the common foreign and security policy as set out in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2024/1172/oj 5/6 OJ L, 19.4.2024 EN(2) the following entries are added to the list of natural or legal persons, entities or bodies under heading B ‘Legal persons, entities and bodies’: Names (Transliteration into Names Identifying information Reasons for listing Date of listing Latin script) ‘27. Lehava ה"בהל Telephone: 079-9130000 Lehava is a radical right-wing Jewish supremacist group led by its founder 19.4.2024 Ben-Zion “Bentzi” Gopstein. a.k.a. Prevention of (Hebrew spelling) Email: o.leava@gmail.com Assimilation in the Holy Lehava uses violence and incites violence against Palestinians, Christians Website: Land and Messianic Jews, for example, Lehava members chanted “death to www.lehava-us.com; Arabs” and called to pick up arms during rallies. Lehava organises violent vod.leava.co.il protests against Jewish-Muslim weddings and the LGBTQI community. Lehava members harass and assault Arab-Jewish couples. Lehava is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses, in particular systematic advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred which constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence which is also of serious concern with regard to the objectives of the common foreign and security policy as set out in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union. 28. Hilltop Youth תועבגה רעונ Associated individuals: Hilltop Youth is a radical youth group consisting of members known for 19.4.2024’. violent acts against Palestinians and their villages in the West Bank. a.k.a. No’ar HaGva’ot (Hebrew spelling) Meir Mordechai ETTINGER; Elisha YERED The group settles on hilltops in the West Bank and engages in settler violence through so-called “price tag attacks”. This settler violence, including physical and psychosocial harassment, beatings, murder and demolition of property, against Palestinians and their villages is of a systematic nature. Hilltop Youth is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses including torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, as well as serious violations or abuses of the right to property and the right to private and family life of Palestinians in the West Bank, which are also of serious concern with regard to the objectives of the common foreign and security policy as set out in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union. 6/6 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2024/1172/oj EN OJ L, 19.4.2024