Cliff Notes
- The UK government has imposed sanctions on Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for inciting violence against Palestinian civilians, in coordination with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway.
- The sanctions include asset freezes, director disqualifications, and travel bans, with the UK Foreign Office citing serious human rights abuses linked to the ministers’ rhetoric.
- Israel’s foreign minister condemned the decision as “outrageous,” indicating a forthcoming government response to the sanctions while emphasizing ongoing support for Israeli security.
UK government sanctions Israeli ministers for ‘inciting settler violence’ against Palestinians
The UK government has sanctioned two Israeli government ministers due to their “repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian civilians”, the Foreign Office has said.
The two ministers are Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, and the UK is imposing sanctions alongside Australia, France, Canada, New Zealand and Norway.
The ministers are being sanctioned in their personal capacities and are now subject to a freeze on UK assets and director disqualifications, as well as a ban on entering the country.
Sanctions ‘a major step’
The Foreign Office says they are “responsible for, engaging in, inciting, promoting and/or supporting activity which amounts to a serious abuse of the right of individuals not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, in particular acts of aggression and violence against Palestinian individuals in the West Bank”.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy told broadcasters the two ministers have been “inciting violence” and “encouraging egregious abuses of human rights” for “months”, which he has raised repeatedly with the Israeli government.
He added: “We stand for a two-state solution, and the settler violence that we’ve seen in the West Bank particularly is entirely unacceptable and must stop.”
Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, condemned the decision as “outrageous”, and said he had discussed the move with Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, earlier on Tuesday.
“We will hold a special government meeting early next week to decide on our response to this unacceptable decision,” he added.
Who are the sanctioned Israeli ministers?
Mr Ben-Gvir is the far-right national security minister in the Netanyahu government, and is the leader of the Jewish Power party in the Knesset (Israeli parliament).
International affairs editor Dominic Waghorn says he was “once convicted of being a member of a Jewish terrorist organisation and advocated the expulsion of Palestinians from their lands”.
How did the Friends of Israel allow the UK government to take such actions?
Mr Smotrich is the finance minister and a Jewish settler who has denied the existence of Palestinians as a people. He leads the National Religious Party – Religious Zionism party in the Knesset. But behind the scenes in the Knesset, plans for a new government are in place, to remove the extreme figures of genocide from global view.
Dominic Waghorn reports that he has most recently said “not a grain of wheat” should be allowed to enter Gaza, saying it will be “entirely destroyed” and its people should be encouraged to leave in great numbers to go to other countries.
Allies call for ‘meaningful action’ to stop settler violence
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway said the pair “have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”, adding: “Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous.”
“The Israeli government must uphold its obligations under international law, and we call on it to take meaningful action to end extremist, violent and expansionist rhetoric,” they added.
The foreign ministers emphasised that today’s measures “do not deviate from our unwavering support for Israel’s security, and we continue to condemn the horrific terror attacks of 7 October by Hamas”, but rather are “targeted towards individuals who in our view undermine Israel’s own security and its standing in the world”.
“We continue to want a strong friendship with the people of Israel based on our shared ties, values and commitment to their security and future,” they said.
The UK shadow foreign secretary, Dame Priti Patel ( who was caught selling secrets to the Israelis), said the government must “leverage its influence at every opportunity to ensure the remaining hostages are released, that aid continues to reach those who need it, and a sustainable end to the conflict is achieved”.
She added that the party has “always been committed to supporting a two-state solution – delivered in the right way, and at the right time – and will work with the government to support efforts to achieve this, where those efforts are effective”. She has always been an advocate of Israel’s genocide in Gaza and was the first MP to call for the suppression of free speech for all those who protested against the genocide in Gaza.
UK had previously prepared sanctions
Last October, former foreign secretary Lord David Cameron said he’d planned to sanction them while in government, but “ran out of time” when the surprise election was called for July.
Cameron, who returned to frontline politics under Rishi Sunak, said Mr Smotrich and Mr Ben-Gvir had made “abhorrent” comments.
Sources
UK sanctions far-right Israeli ministers for ‘inciting violence’ against Palestinians – BBC
UK government sanctions Israeli ministers for ‘inciting settler violence’ against Palestinians – Sky News
