Israel says the U.K. is sanctioning 2 Cabinet ministers
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
UK Government Sanctions Two Israeli Ministers Over ‘Extremist’ Gaza Comments
Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich will be subject to a travel ban and asset freeze under the measures announced by Britain alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway. Both men belong to right-wing parties which help to prop up Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fragile coalition government. The move has been condemned by the Israeli government, which said it was ‘outrageous’ and ‘unacceptable’ The UK foreign secretary David Lammy said: ‘We are steadfastly committed to the two-state solution’
The UK government has sanctioned two Israeli ministers for inciting “extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”.
Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich will be subject to a travel ban and asset freeze under the measures announced by Britain alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway.
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The move has been condemned by the Israeli government, which said it was “outrageous”.
Both men belong to right-wing parties which help to prop up Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fragile coalition government.
Smotrich has campaigned against allowing aid into Gaza, and also supported the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law.
Ben-Gvir has called for Gaza’s people to be resettled from the territory.
In a joint statement with the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, foreign secretary David Lammy said: “We are steadfastly committed to the two-state solution and will continue to work with our partners towards its implementation.
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“It is the only way to guarantee security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians and ensure long term stability in the region, but it is imperilled by extremist settler violence and settlement expansion.
“Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. These actions are not acceptable. This is why we have taken action now – to hold those responsible to account.
“We will strive to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of the remaining hostages by Hamas which can have no future role in the governance of Gaza, a surge in aid and a path to a two-state solution.”
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A No.10 spokesman said: “These sanctions apply to the individuals in their personal capacities, not their ministries and departments.
“Ben-Gvir and Smotrich do not speak for all Israeli people … and have a long history of dangerous extremist and inflammatory views.
“As the Israeli ambassador to the UK has said in recent interviews, their statements in their ministerial capacities do not even represent government policy.
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“Their agenda and actions undermine the interests of Israeli people, including security, many Israelis see this.
“So, today, with our international partners, we have announced measures against those ministers in a personal capacity.”
In a statement, the Israeli government said: “It is outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these kind of measures.”
UK sanctions 2 Israeli officials over remarks against Palestinians
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Canada joins U.K., other nations in sanctioning two Israeli cabinet ministers
Canada joins the U.K., Norway, Australia and New Zealand in sanctioning two Israeli cabinet ministers. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich are accused of pushing “extremist rhetoric” Canada has imposed three previous rounds of sanctions on people and groups associated with expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The last round of sanctions was announced in February. The sanctions are inadmissible to Canada and Canadian individuals and organizations are barred from doing business with the sanctioned individuals.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich are accused of pushing “extremist rhetoric” by calling for the displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank and the expansion of Israeli settlements in the territory.
The five countries issued a joint statement announcing the sanctions Tuesday morning.
“Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights,” the statement says. “Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous. These actions are not acceptable.”
The statement says that the countries tried to work with the Israeli government on the issue of forced Palestinian displacement but “violent perpetrators” continue to act with “encouragement and impunity.”
The statement says that while the countries imposing sanctions still support Israel’s right to defend itself, the actions of the “targeted individuals” undermine “Israel’s own security and standing in the world.”
“Today’s measures focus on the West Bank, but of course this cannot be seen in isolation from the catastrophe in Gaza,” the statement says. “We continue to be appalled by the immense suffering of civilians, including the denial of essential aid.”
The sanctioned individuals are inadmissible to Canada and Canadian individuals and organizations are barred from doing business with them.
Last month, Prime Minister Mark Carney joined British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron in writing an open letter condemning Israeli military operations in Gaza. The three leaders called the level of suffering in the territory “intolerable.”
The letter called on the Israeli government to allow more food aid into Gaza and to end military operations there, and for Hamas to release its remaining hostages. The three leaders said they would take “concrete actions” if Israel did not comply.
Carney, Starmer and Macron also threatened to impose sanctions on people and groups linked to the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The U.K. imposed sanctions on what it called a “West Bank violence network” shortly after the letter was released publicly.
Canada has imposed three previous rounds of sanctions on people and groups associated with expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The last round of sanctions was announced in February.
This report was first published by The Canadian Press on June 10, 2025.
David Baxter, The Canadian Press
UK, others sanction 2 far-right Israeli Cabinet ministers over violence in occupied West Bank
Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway impose sanctions on two Israeli government ministers. Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich are key partners in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. They are champions of Israeli settlement who support continuing the war in Gaza. They could now face asset freezes and travel bans, the five countries’ foreign ministers said in a joint statement. They “have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights,” they said. The decision by Western governments friendly to Israel was a sharp rebuke of Israel’s settlement policies in the West Bank and of settler violence, which has spiked since Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack ignited the Gaza Strip. It means the wall of immunity that Israeli politicians had has been broken, says an Israeli human rights lawyer.
The decision by Western governments friendly to Israel was a sharp rebuke of Israel’s settlement policies in the West Bank and of settler violence, which has spiked since Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack ignited the war in the Gaza Strip.
Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, key partners in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, are champions of Israeli settlement who support continuing the war in Gaza, facilitating what they call the voluntary emigration of its Palestinian population and the rebuilding of Jewish settlements there.
They could now face asset freezes and travel bans.
The five countries’ foreign ministers said in a joint statement that Ben-Gvir and Smotrich “have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous.”
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the two men “have been inciting violence against Palestinian people for months and months and months” and “encouraging egregious abuses of human rights.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said earlier it had been informed of the sanctions.
Smotrich, the finance minister, wrote on social media that he learned of the sanctions while he was inaugurating a new West Bank settlement. “We are determined to continue building,” he said.
“We overcame Pharoah, we’ll overcome Starmer’s Wall.” Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, wrote on social media, referring to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the sanctions decision “outrageous.” He said he had discussed it with Netanyahu and they would meet next week to discuss Israel’s response.
Netanyahu is the target of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court last year over alleged war crimes in Gaza, part of a global wave of outrage at Israel’s conduct during its 20-month war against Hamas. Netanyahu has denied the allegations and accused the the court of being biased against Israel.
The Biden administration took the rare step of sanctioning radical Israeli settlers implicated in violence in the occupied West Bank — sanctions that were lifted by President Donald Trump.
Eitay Mack, an Israeli human rights lawyer who spent years campaigning for the sanctions on Smotrich and Ben-Gvir — along with violent West Bank settlers — described Tuesday’s move as “historic.”
“It means the wall of immunity that Israeli politicians had has been broken,” he said. “It’s unbelievable that it took so long for Western governments to sanction Israeli politicians, and the fact that it’s being done while Trump is president is quite amazing.”
Mack added: “It is a message to Netanyahu himself that he could be next.”
Israel captured the West Bank, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three territories for a future state.
Successive Israeli governments have promoted settlement growth and construction stretching back decades. It has exploded under Netanyahu’s far-right coalition, which has settlers in key Cabinet posts.
There are now well over 100 settlements across the West Bank that house more than 500,000 settlers. The settlers have Israeli citizenship, while the territory’s 3 million Palestinians live under Israeli military rule, with the Palestinian Authority administering population centres.
Most of the international community considers the settlements illegal, and Palestinians see them as the greatest obstacle to an eventual two-state solution, which is still seen internationally as the only way to resolve the conflict.
UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway sanction 2 far-right Israeli Cabinet ministers
Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway say they have imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli government ministers. Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich face asset freezes and travel bans from the five countries. The ministers are champions of expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The decision by Western governments friendly to Israel was a sharp rebuke of Israel’s settlement policies in theWest Bank and of settler violence, which has spiked since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack ignited the war in the Gaza Strip. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the move “outrageous” He said he had discussed it with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and they would meet next week to discuss Israel’s response to the sanctions. The Biden administration took the rare step of sanctioning radical Israeli settlers implicated in violence in the occupied West Bank — sanctions that were then lifted by President Donald Trump. There are now well over 100 settlements and 500,000 Israeli settlers sprawling across the territory.
Surrounded by security guards, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, center, participates in march marking Jerusalem Day, an Israeli holiday celebrating the capture of east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, in Damascus Gate of Jerusalem’s Old City, Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Surrounded by security guards, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, center, participates in march marking Jerusalem Day, an Israeli holiday celebrating the capture of east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, in Damascus Gate of Jerusalem’s Old City, Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Surrounded by security guards, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, center, participates in march marking Jerusalem Day, an Israeli holiday celebrating the capture of east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, in Damascus Gate of Jerusalem’s Old City, Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Surrounded by security guards, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, center, participates in march marking Jerusalem Day, an Israeli holiday celebrating the capture of east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, in Damascus Gate of Jerusalem’s Old City, Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
JERUSALEM — Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway said Tuesday they have imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli government ministers for allegedly “inciting extremist violence” against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich face asset freezes and travel bans from the five countries. The ministers are champions of expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The decision by Western governments friendly to Israel was a sharp rebuke of Israel’s settlement policies in the West Bank and of settler violence, which has spiked since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack ignited the war in the Gaza Strip.
The five countries’ foreign ministers said in a joint statement that Ben-Gvir and Smotrich “have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said earlier it had been informed of the sanctions.
Smotrich, the country’s finance minister, wrote on social media that he found out that Britain had decided to sanction him for obstructing the viability of a Palestinian state. “We are determined to continue building,” he said.
“We overcame Pharoah, we’ll overcome Starmer’s Wall.” Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, wrote on social media.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the move “outrageous.” He said he had discussed it with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and they would meet next week to discuss Israel’s response.
The Biden administration took the rare step of sanctioning radical Israeli settlers implicated in violence in the occupied West Bank — sanctions that were then lifted by President Donald Trump.
Eitay Mack, an Israeli human rights lawyer who spent years campaigning for the sanctions on Smotrich and Ben-Gvir — along with violent West Bank settlers — described the move as “historic.”
“It means the wall of immunity that Israeli politicians had has been broken,” he said. “It’s unbelievable that it took so long for Western governments to sanction Israeli politicians, and the fact that it’s being done while Trump is president is quite amazing,” said Mack. “It is a message to Netanyahu himself that he could be next.”
Israel captured the West Bank along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want those territories for their hoped-for future state.
Settlement growth and construction have been promoted by successive Israeli governments stretching back decades, but it has exploded under Netanyahu’s far-right coalition, which has settlers in key Cabinet posts. There are now well over 100 settlements and 500,000 Israeli settlers sprawling across the territory from north to south — a reality, rights groups say, dimming any hopes for an eventual two-state solution.
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AP Correspondent Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.