Sanctions added for extremist settler violence

Summary#

These final regulations, titled Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Extremist Settler Violence) Regulations, add four people and two organizations to Canada’s sanctions list for involvement in extremist settler violence in the occupied Palestinian territories. The rules took effect when they were registered on September 17, 2024 and were published in the Canada Gazette on October 9, 2024.

What it does#

• Adds these people to the sanctions list:
  • Neria Ben Pazi (born November 28, 1993)
  • Noam Federman (born October 25, 1969)
  • Eden Levi
  • Shlomo Sarid (born 1987)
• Adds these entities to the sanctions list:
  • Mount Hebron Fund
  • Shlom Asiraich
• Updates one existing entry to correct the listing for Daniella Weiss (now shown as born August 30, 1945).
• Once listed under the Special Economic Measures (Extremist Settler Violence) Regulations, these people and entities are subject to Canadian sanctions. That means people and companies in Canada (and Canadians abroad) are generally prohibited from:
  • dealing in their property,
  • doing business with them,
  • providing services to them, or
  • transferring money or goods to them.
• The regulations make listed individuals inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
• The regulations were applied immediately on registration and were allowed to take effect before Gazette publication under the Statutory Instruments Act.

Who's affected#

• The newly listed individuals and entities named above — they face asset and travel restrictions with respect to Canada.
• Canadian banks and other financial institutions, which must update their monitoring systems and block prohibited transactions.
• Canadian businesses and service providers that might otherwise deal with these people or entities; they must avoid transactions or seek special permits (rare).
• Enforcement and immigration bodies such as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canada Border Services Agency, which have roles in enforcing the rules.
• The general public and most Canadian businesses are unlikely to see direct effects, since the government says the listed persons have limited ties to Canada.

Why it matters#

• Sanctions make it harder for the listed people and groups to use international financial and business channels involving Canada. That can freeze assets in Canada and cut off services from Canadian providers.
• These measures are meant to punish and deter violent actions by extremist settlers and to signal Canada’s position against settler violence and settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories.
• For Canadians, the most likely real impact is that banks and a few businesses must ensure they do not deal with the named people or entities. Non-compliance can lead to penalties — on conviction, a fine up to $25,000, or up to one year in prison on summary conviction, or up to five years on indictment.