A group of 88 Senate and House Democrats, including some key Democratic leaders, called on President Joe Biden to sanction Israeli Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The lawmakers’ letter calling for the aggressive move against the Israeli officials was sent at the end of October, but was not released publicly until Thursday, after the Biden administration declined to withhold additional weaponry from Israel, as some progressive Democrats had demanded.

The letter comes as leaders in the U.S. and Middle East are keeping a close eye on whether the Biden administration will seek punitive action against Israel in the waning days of the administration; such sanctions have been one possibility floated by policy analysts.

The letter calls for sanctions under a new executive order by the Biden administration earlier this year for individuals and groups responsible for inciting violence in the West Bank.

“Violent settlers, fueled by the inflammatory rhetoric and incitement to violence by members of the Israeli cabinet, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and empowered by extremist organizations like Regavim and Amana, have carried out over 1,270 recorded attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank, averaging more than three violent attacks per day,” the lawmakers said.

“With radical officials in the Netanyahu government continuing to enable settler violence and enact annexationist policies, it is clear that further sanctions are urgently needed,” they continued.

The lawmakers said that Smotrich is “tak[ing] steps to advance illegal and dangerous annexation of the West Bank” and has “significantly compromised the overall health and stability of the West Bank economy.”

Ben-Gvir, they said, “has also played a prominent role in inciting violence against Palestinian civilians, encouraging the construction of illegal outposts, and preventing enforcement against violent settlers.”

The lawmakers also called for sanctions on two groups, Amana and Regavim, involved with West Bank settlements.

While many of the signatories to the letter are frequent progressive critics of Israel, it counts among its signatories key and influential lawmakers and several members not prone to inflammatory attacks on the Jewish state. It was led by House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

Other notable signatories include Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), incoming Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), a close Biden ally.

The letter was supported by the progressive Israel advocacy group J Street, whose president Jeremy Ben-Ami said in a statement, “President Biden should not end his term by bending US law to allow Netanayhu’s far-right government to withhold aid from starving families, opening the door to further violations under Trump. He has the chance to give force and meaning to his stated empathy for the Palestinian people and to strengthen US legal safeguards before Trump takes office.”