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Israel’s war against Gaza live: Dozens dead in increasing attacks on civilians | News on the Israel-Palestine conflict

Israel’s war against Gaza live: Dozens dead in increasing attacks on civilians | News on the Israel-Palestine conflict

The restrictions on Sergeant Elor Azaria are based on his involvement in an extrajudicial execution in the occupied West Bank.

Azaria shot and killed injured Palestinian Abdul Fatah al-Sharif in Hebron in 2016. Al-Sharif lay wounded on the ground after allegedly stabbing and wounding a soldier before Azaria walked up to him and killed him without any apparent provocation. The incident was filmed by Israeli human rights group B’Tselem and quickly went viral.

Azaria was convicted of manslaughter by an Israeli court but only received an 18-month prison sentence, which was later reduced by four months. He was finally released from prison in May 2018 after serving nearly nine months.

The US State Department said in a statement on Wednesday that “Azaria and her immediate family members are generally barred from entering the United States.”

It went on to say that it was taking “steps to impose visa restrictions on an additional group of individuals because they have been involved in or significantly contributed to undermining peace, security or stability in the West Bank,” including “violence against persons or property or unduly restricting civilians’ access to essential services and basic needs.”

The US has imposed sanctions on some Israeli settlers accused of violence against Palestinians, but critics say these sanctions do not go far enough. Washington continues to support Israel in its war against Gaza, including by supplying weapons, and offers little opportunity for a Palestinian state.