UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand & Norway Sanction 2 Israeli Ministers/ Newslooks/ WASHINTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway imposed sanctions on Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, accusing them of inciting violence against Palestinians. The move includes asset freezes and travel bans. Israel’s far-right coalition faces increasing international backlash over West Bank policies.
Israeli Ministers Sanctioned + Global Response Quick Looks
- UK, Canada, Australia, NZ, and Norway issued sanctions on Ben-Gvir and Smotrich
- Sanctions include travel bans and asset freezes over alleged incitement of violence against Palestinians
- Ministers are known for backing settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank
- The decision marks a major rebuke from traditionally pro-Israel nations
- Western governments condemned “extremist rhetoric” and human rights abuses
- Ben-Gvir dismissed the move with a defiant social media post referencing the UK’s Labour Party
- Smotrich said the sanctions are over his opposition to a Palestinian state
- Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the sanctions “outrageous”
- Biden administration’s earlier sanctions on settlers were lifted under Trump
- Human rights lawyer Eitay Mack called the move “historic” and a signal to Netanyahu
- 500,000+ Israeli settlers now live across the West Bank in over 100 settlements
- Rights groups warn of growing obstacles to a two-state solution
Deep Look: Israeli Ministers Sanctioned Over West Bank Violence
JERUSALEM — In a significant diplomatic rebuke, five Western allies of Israel — the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway — jointly sanctioned two far-right Israeli Cabinet ministers Tuesday, citing their alleged role in inciting violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
The sanctioned officials, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have long been vocal supporters of Israeli settlement expansion. The sanctions include asset freezes and travel bans, a direct condemnation of the pair’s inflammatory rhetoric and alleged involvement in human rights abuses.
Sharp Shift Among Israel’s Traditional Allies
The coordinated move from five historically pro-Israel nations is a striking escalation in international criticism of the country’s hardline domestic policies. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the five countries said the two ministers “have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights.” The statement further condemned the “appalling and dangerous” rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians.
This move follows mounting global scrutiny over the Israeli government’s approach in the West Bank, especially amid rising settler violence and deepening conflict in Gaza. Since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack triggered full-scale war, incidents of settler aggression have surged dramatically.
Israeli Government Reacts with Defiance
Reacting to the sanctions, both ministers took to social media with dismissive responses.
Smotrich wrote that he had been sanctioned for “obstructing the viability of a Palestinian state,” adding defiantly, “We are determined to continue building.”
Meanwhile, Ben-Gvir referred to the UK’s Labour Party leader, saying, “We overcame Pharaoh, we’ll overcome Starmer’s Wall.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the sanctions as “outrageous” and announced he would consult with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a formal response next week.
These developments come against the backdrop of a divided Israeli political landscape, where far-right ministers like Ben-Gvir and Smotrich hold significant power within Netanyahu’s coalition.
Legal and Human Rights Implications
Prominent Israeli human rights attorney Eitay Mack, who has long advocated for accountability over settler violence, called the sanctions “historic.” He emphasized that the move shatters a long-standing wall of immunity shielding Israeli political leaders from foreign punitive action.
“It’s unbelievable that it took so long for Western governments to sanction Israeli politicians,” Mack said. “And the fact that it’s being done while Trump is president is quite amazing. It is a message to Netanyahu himself that he could be next.”
The West Bank in Context
The West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem were captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast War. These territories are considered by Palestinians to be part of their future state. However, Israel has increasingly entrenched its presence, particularly in the West Bank, through aggressive settlement expansion.
Under Netanyahu’s far-right coalition, settlement activity has accelerated. More than 500,000 Israeli settlers now reside in over 100 settlements stretching across the West Bank — a development that rights organizations argue is all but eroding the possibility of a two-state solution.
While successive Israeli governments have supported settlement construction, this administration has gone further by placing ideological settlers in key ministerial roles. This has led to sharp criticism from both within Israel and abroad, particularly as violence in the West Bank escalates.
Past Sanctions, Reinstated Positions
The Biden administration had previously imposed sanctions on radical Israeli settlers implicated in violent acts in the West Bank. However, those sanctions were reversed after Donald Trump returned to the presidency, aligning once again with Netanyahu’s policies.
Still, the current sanctions by U.S. allies signal a potential diplomatic turning point. Though symbolic in part, they send a powerful message regarding the West’s growing discomfort with Israel’s far-right trajectory.
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