A complex legal process that took place overseas over the past two years has officially come to an end with the signing of a settlement agreement between the Regavim movement and the federal government of the United States.
The petition, filed in the summer of 2024 by a team of international lawyers, challenged the sanctions policy implemented at the time by the Biden administration against a series of legitimate citizens, bodies, and organizations operating in Israel - including the “Tzav 9" movement, which was founded by Regavim and its partners - on the grounds of alleged involvement in violent activity.
At the time, the American measures triggered a broad international trend in which additional countries began using sanctions as a tool against Israelis, causing significant diplomatic and reputational damage around the world.
As part of the petition filed in federal court, Regavim’s representatives argued that “this constitutes a violation of freedom of speech in a functioning democratic country, in a manner that has never occurred before in history, especially between allied nations. Israel has independent courts, and there is no justification for a foreign country to interfere in the internal political or criminal affairs of the legal system of a functioning state."
During the period that passed since the case was opened, the political landscape in Washington changed, and with President Trump’s entry into the White House, all previous sanctions were immediately canceled. Nevertheless, the Israeli movement decided not to halt the legal battle, seeking to establish a permanent precedent that would prevent such policies from recurring under future administrations.
The agreement reached this week establishes commitments by the U.S. administration to refrain from interfering in the sovereignty and institutions of the State of Israel. Among other things, the agreement provides explicit protection for a defined list of organizations and states that sanctions will not be imposed on Israeli citizens who also hold American citizenship and are entitled to proper and fair legal proceedings. It was also explicitly determined that sanctions will not be applied against individuals or organizations solely because they are residents of Judea and Samaria, with official recognition that such a step constitutes direct harm to Israeli sovereignty.
Meir Deutsch, CEO of Regavim, stated: “The days when Israeli democracy could be trampled through the use of sanctions are over. The battle we waged does protect Regavim, but far more importantly, it protects democracy in Israel. The administration’s commitment is critical to stopping the sanctions spiral we were dragged into, which could harm any citizen and threatens the future of the State of Israel. Europe - we’re coming for you."
“This struggle was never only about Regavim. Those who tried to turn sanctions into a political weapon against citizens and organizations in Israel discovered that there are those willing to fight back. This achievement proves that the trend of foreign intervention can be stopped, but it is also a reminder that the battle for the independence of Israeli democracy is far from over," he concluded.