WEST BANK, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), New Zealand announced Tuesday that it has barred three extremist Israeli settlers from entering the country over their involvement in expanding illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the ban applies to Itamar Yehuda Levy, Harel David Libby, and Eliav Libby, citing their role in settlement expansion on occupied Palestinian land.
Peters said such activities threaten regional security and stability and undermine prospects for peace between Palestinians and Israelis. He reiterated New Zealand’s position that Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory violate international law.
The move comes amid growing international concern over escalating settler violence in the West Bank. UN experts warned this week that settler attacks, backed by the Israeli government, have reached unprecedented levels in 2026, with at least 13 Palestinians killed and around 500 injured during the first five months of the year.
According to Palestinian official figures, violence in the West Bank since October 2023 has killed 1,168 Palestinians, injured 12,666 others, led to the arrest of nearly 23,000 people, and displaced around 33,000 Palestinians from their homes.
