The State Department last week criticized a decision by several close U.S. allies to sanction Israeli cabinet members Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank (see 2506100013). The sanctions, imposed by Australia, the U.K., Canada, New Zealand and Norway, don't "advance U.S.-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war" between Israel and Hamas, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

The U.N. Security Council this week removed Hajjaj Bin Fahd Al Ajmi from its ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaida sanctions list. Ajmi was sanctioned for his ties to terrorism. The council didn't release more information.

Australia, the U.K., Canada, New Zealand and Norway this week sanctioned Israeli nationals Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, the countries said in a joint statement. The two individuals are involved in "advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements" in the territory, the nations said.

The EU this week proposed another round of sanctions against Russia, including lowering the global price cap on Russian oil from $60 to $45 per barrel. The bloc also wants to sanction more vessels transporting Russian oil, designate Chinese companies sending dual-use goods to Russia, and introduce more financial restrictions.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned various people and sham charities located abroad for being "prominent financial supporters" of the military and terrorist activities of Hamas. The people and charities help to fund the Hamas military wing "under the pretense of conducting humanitarian work," including aid work in Gaza, OFAC said.

The U.S. this week sanctioned Los Chapitos, part of the Mexico-based Sinaloa Cartel, which controls laboratories that insert fentanyl in counterfeit pills that are later trafficked to the U.S. The Office of Foreign Assets Control also sanctioned two fugitive leaders of Los Chapitos and a regional network of Los Chapitos associates and businesses based in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico. OFAC said they’re involved in drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, and money laundering.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week sanctioned more than 40 people and entities tied to Iranian brothers Mansour, Nasser and Fazlolah Zarringhalam, who have laundered billions of dollars’ worth of funds through the international financial system for Iran's “shadow banking” network, the Treasury Department said. The designations target front companies in the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong along with "affiliated businessmen" and others who have ties to sales of Iranian energy.

Countries should “redouble” efforts to prevent sanctions violations involving North Korea, including “through enhanced screening and more stringent export control measures,” the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team said in a recent report. The MSMT, the group formed last year by the U.S. and 10 of its close allies to report on North Korea-related sanctions evasion (see 2502210005), also called for scrutiny of cargo ships that may be transferring petroleum to or on behalf of North Korea, adding that member states should share lists of any vessels suspected of delivering oil to North Korea. The 30-page report also includes details about arms transfers between North Korea and Russia.

Incoterms, the rules that define the responsibilities of sellers and buyers in shipping contracts, don’t relieve shippers from their sanctions compliance obligations or modify sanctions-related requirements “in any way,” the European Commission said in recent guidance.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned several people with ties to drug trafficking in Guyana, Colombia and Venezuela, including Mark Cromwell, Himnauth Sawh, Randolph Duncan, Paul Daby Jr., Yeison Andres Sanchez Vallejo and Manuel Salazar Gutierrez. OFAC said Guyana has been a transshipment point for drugs moving from South America to the U.S. and Europe for “decades,” including shipments of cocaine from Colombia and Venezuela and through the waters of Guyana and Suriname.