London, June 11: The United Kingdom, along with four allied nations, on Tuesday imposed coordinated sanctions on two senior Israeli government ministers, accusing them of inciting violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
The sanctions target Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, both known for their far-right political views and central roles in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition.
In a joint statement, the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway said the two ministers had “repeatedly encouraged extremist violence and serious human rights abuses” against Palestinians. The governments cited rhetoric promoting the forced displacement of Palestinians and expansion of Israeli settlements as “appalling and dangerous.”
Under the UK sanctions, both officials face an immediate asset freeze, travel ban, and are barred from involvement in British companies as directors or managers. The other sanctioning nations have imposed similar restrictions.
“These measures do not undermine our unwavering commitment to Israel’s security,” the countries said in their joint statement, reaffirming condemnation of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. However, they warned that actions by Israeli officials that inflame violence or promote unlawful transfers of Palestinian populations risk further destabilizing the region.
The ministers’ conduct “has undermined Israel’s own security,” the statement added.
The move comes amid increasing international criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and the treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank. The UK had already sanctioned several Israeli settlers last month and paused trade negotiations with Tel Aviv. Domestic political pressure has also been building on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take a firmer stance, with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn recently tabling a bill calling for an inquiry into Britain’s role in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said the government had been notified of the sanctions and described them as “outrageous.” He added that a special cabinet meeting would be convened early next week to determine Israel’s response.
Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are key figures in Netanyahu’s increasingly fragile coalition and have long drawn criticism for their hardline views and support for Jewish settler activity in the occupied territories.
Despite the sanctions, the five countries emphasized their desire to maintain a strong relationship with the Israeli people, while signaling that extremist conduct by government figures would not go unchecked.
