Five of the United States’ long-time allies — Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom — announced Tuesday that they were jointly imposing sanctions on two senior Israeli officials, far-right nationalists who are members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet.

In a statement posted on the U.K. government’s official website, the foreign ministers of all five nations said Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich were being sanctioned “for inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.”

The sanctions were not laid out in detail, but could include bans on Smotrich and Ben-Gvir entering the U.S. allies’ territory, and the freezing of some foreign-held assets.

“Settler violence is incited by extremist rhetoric which calls for Palestinians to be driven from their homes, encourages violence and human rights abuses and fundamentally rejects the two-state solution. Settler violence has led to the deaths of Palestinian civilians and the displacement of whole communities,” the statement said. “Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel 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. These actions are not acceptable. We have engaged the Israeli Government on this issue extensively, yet violent perpetrators continue to act with encouragement and impunity. This is why we have taken this action now — to hold those responsible to account.”

Itamar Ben-Gvir (left), Israeli far-right lawmaker and the current Minister of National Security, and Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right lawmaker who is currently the Minister of Finance, attend a rally in the southern Israeli city of Sderot, in an Oct. 26, 2022 file photo. GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP/Getty

The countries said that while the sanctions announced Tuesday “focus on the West Bank,” Israel’s actions there “cannot be seen in isolation from the catastrophe in Gaza. We continue to be appalled by the immense suffering of civilians, including the denial of essential aid.”

The five nations said the 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,” adding that in their view, the rhetoric of the two Israeli cabinet members also undermines “Israel’s own security and its standing in the world.”

The sanctions were announced as the Palestinian Red Crescent in the Israeli-occupied West Bank said 80 people were injured Tuesday during Israel’s ongoing military operations in the Palestinian territory, in the town of Nablus, specifically. Israel insists its military operations in the West Bank are necessary to root out terrorists who plan and launch attacks from the territory.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Tuesday that the Israeli officials had used “horrendous extremist language” and that he’d “encourage the Israeli government to disavow and condemn that language.”

Last month, Smotrich said Gaza “will be entirely destroyed” and that civilians “will start to leave in great numbers to third countries.” He has repeatedly called for Israel to completely annex the West Bank, which has long been occupied by Israeli forces.

Israeli forces aim their guns toward a man after two Palestinian brothers were killed in an Israeli raid after one of the brothers tried to take a soldier’s gun and his brother intervened in Nablus, West Bank, June 10, 2025. Nedal Eshtayah/Anadolu/Getty

CBS News has met Palestinian residents and Israeli activists in the West Bank who say violent attacks by Israeli settlers have increased significantly since the war in Gaza began, including attacks that have driven people from their land.

The statement published Tuesday by the British Foreign Ministry said there had been more than 1,900 “attacks against Palestinian civilians since January last year” in the territory.

Smotrich said in a social media post that he’d heard about the sanctions as he attended the inauguration of a new settlement in the West Bank on Tuesday. Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, which are illegal under international law, have flourished over the last two years, and Smotrich said Tuesday: “We are determined to continue building.”

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the sanctions “outrageous.” He said he’d discussed the measures with Netanyahu, and that Israel would decide upon its response next week.

Israeli human rights lawyer Eitay Mack, who has spent years campaigning for international sanctions against Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, told The Associated Press that Tuesday’s move was “historic,” but that it was “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.”

“It is a message to Netanyahu himself that he could be next,” Mack told the AP.

All of the nations behind the new sanctions are closely allied with the U.S., and three of them are fellow members of the NATO alliance. Australia and New Zealand are not NATO members, but they work closely with the U.S. through the “Five Eyes” intelligence sharing alliance, along with the U.K. and Canada.

More Palestinians reportedly killed near U.S.-backed group’s aid hub

While the negotiations drag on, the war raging in Gaza continues to take a steep daily toll in Palestinian lives.

The Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health said Tuesday that more than 30 people had been killed around two of the controversial, U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s aid distribution hubs in the enclave. Witnesses said the victims were shot, echoing accounts of numerous previous incidents around the GHF’s four operational distribution hubs in Gaza.

The Israeli military said it was aware of reports of people being injured in the area, and that the details were under review.

Soldiers “fired warning shots hundreds of meters from the aid distribution site” in question before it opened on Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.

The shots were fired “toward suspects who posed a threat to the troops,” according to the IDF.

Israel does not allow foreign journalists to enter Gaza, so it was difficult to determine what actually happened on Tuesday, as it has been in all of the previous reported killings near the GHF hubs.

The GHF, in a daily note on its operations sent to media outlets, said: “Aid distribution at both sites proceeded without incident” on Tuesday.

The U.S.-based group’s aid centers, which are staffed by armed, private American contractors, are located adjacent to heavily militarized zones in the Gaza Strip, which the IDF has declared off-limits to civilians from dusk to dawn.

CBS News’ local team in Gaza has reported widespread confusion among families trying to seek aid at the hubs. Residents have told CBS News that it is often unclear which of the four aid hubs are open at any given time. Large crowds have gathered near the hubs in the overnight hours, with people hoping to be first in line for food distribution, which can start as early as 6 a.m. local time.

Nevertheless, video has shown steady streams of people leaving the centers with sacks containing aid, including dried lentils and cooking oil.

Virtually no one in Gaza has gas left to power stoves, however, so families have been burning trash, including plastic, to cook with. Many of the dry goods in the GHF aid parcels are inedible unless they’re cooked.

Trump says Iran involved in talks with Hamas and Israel

President Trump told reporters at a White House event on Monday night that Iran is involved in negotiations between Hamas and the U.S. and Israel aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of Israeli hostages from the Palestinian territory.

“Gaza right now is in the midst of a massive negotiation between us and Hamas and Israel, and Iran actually is involved,” he said. He didn’t offer any further details, but said: “We’ll see what’s going to happen with Gaza. We want to get the hostages back.”

The U.S. has long been engaged in ongoing negotiations in Qatar aimed at brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, but there has been no indication of an imminent breakthrough in those talks, though Netanyahu said in a video message Tuesday that the dialogue had advanced.

Iran has never been mentioned by the U.S. previously as a party to the talks, and no member of Netanyahu’s government has ever acknowledged engaging in negotiations with Iran. Israeli media outlets cited anonymous officials on Tuesday as denying any discussion with Iran, but there was no on-the-record statement from Netanyahu’s government about Mr. Trump’s remarks, which came after a telephone call between the two leaders earlier on Tuesday.

Netanyahu and Mr. Trump reportedly discussed the separate talks the U.S. has been holding with Iranian negotiators aimed at striking a new deal to impose limits on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the easing of crushing economic sanctions. Those talks are due to resume toward the end of this week, either in Oman or Oslo, but thus far the Iranian government has said the country will not agree to abandon entirely its domestic enrichment of uranium, something the White House continues to insist on publicly.

Israel strikes Houthi-held port in Yemen

Israel’s navy has also stepped up its attacks on the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, firing two missiles at Houthi-held port facilities in the Red Sea port city of Hodeida, the IDF said Tuesday.

The military said the strikes were carried out to “stop the use of the port for military purposes,” including the movement of weapons.

Hodeida’s docks have been attacked in the past by Israel’s air force, and the strikes were meant as a fresh warning to the Houthis to stop firing missiles at Israel. On average, the rebels have launched a missile at Israel every other day for several months. Almost all have disintegrated in the air or been intercepted by Israeli air defenses.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said if the attacks don’t stop, Israel will impose a complete air and sea blockade on Houthi territory in Yemen, not unlike the one Israel is currently imposing on Gaza.

“We warned the Houthi terror organization that if they continue to fire at Israel, they will face a powerful response and enter a naval and air blockade,” said Katz.

The Houthis did not offer any assessment of the damage inflicted by the Israeli strike, and there was no video evidence immediately broadcast by the group’s own satellite news outlet.

London CNN —

The United Kingdom, Canada and other allies announced sanctions Tuesday on two hardline Israeli government ministers for repeatedly “inciting violence against Palestinians,” in a stark joint move that comes amid growing Western condemnation of Israel’s actions in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich will face a travel ban and an asset freeze, the UK government said.

Ben Gvir and Smotrich both lead far-right political parties that help keep Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fragile government coalition afloat. Both men have faced criticism for their inflammatory comments about the occupied West Bank as well as their positions on the war in Gaza.

The sanctions are being jointly implemented by Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the UK, according to a joint statement by the five countries’ foreign ministers.

“We are steadfastly committed to the two-state solution which 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,” the joint statement said.

“Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel 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,” the statement added. “We have engaged the Israeli Government on this issue extensively, yet violent perpetrators continue to act with encouragement and impunity.”

The sanctions imposed by the five Western nations represent a break in policy with the United States. While European and Commonwealth allies have increasingly put pressure on Netanyahu’s government, the Trump administration has repeatedly reaffirmed the US-Israel alliance. The US has also called for the conflict in Gaza to end, but last week, the US vetoed a UN Security Council resolution demanding a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

While the sanctions are in relation to the West Bank, the Western allies’ joint statement added that “of course this cannot be seen in isolation from the catastrophe in Gaza. We continue to be appalled by the immense suffering of civilians, including the denial of essential aid.”

Smotrich and Ben Gvir both live in settlements in the West Bank, which Palestinians and the vast majority of the international community hold as part of a future Palestinian state.

Both ministers responded defiantly to the travel bans and financial sanctions on Tuesday afternoon, vowing to continue their agenda and accusing Britain of echoing its colonial-era restrictions on Jewish migration to British-mandate Palestine.

Ben Gvir, the leader of the Jewish Power party, said that “the sanctions do not scare me,” adding, “I will continue to act for our country, for our people, I will continue to act and make sure that they do not let humanitarian aid into Hamas.”

Smotrich, speaking during the inauguration of the new Jewish settlement of Mitzpe Ziv in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, said that he “heard that Britain has decided to impose sanctions on me because I’m thwarting the establishment of a Palestinian state. There couldn’t be better timing than this.”

“Britain already tried once to prevent us from settling the cradle of our homeland, and we will not let it happen again. With God’s help, we are determined to continue building,” said Smotrich, who leads the National Religious Party–Religious Zionism.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the government will hold a “special meeting” early next week “to decide on our response to this unacceptable decision.”

“It is outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to this kind of measure,” Saar said.

Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway said in their statement: “The measures announced today 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. Today’s measures are targeted towards individuals who in our view undermine Israel’s own security and its standing in the world.”

Ben Gvir quit Netanyahu’s government in January to protest the ceasefire in Gaza, only rejoining the government after Israel returned to war in March. He has repeatedly called for Palestinians to be driven out of Gaza and previously said Israel should “encourage voluntary migration of Gazans to countries around the world.”

Smotrich, who as finance minister has a seat on the Israeli security cabinet and holds significant sway over Netanyahu, has previously called for the formal annexation of settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. In May, he said his idea of victory in Gaza would be that the territory is “destroyed” and civilians are moved to a “humanitarian zone” in the south of the strip or leave for third countries.

Last month, UK Foreign Minister David Lammy slammed Smotrich’s comments on the possible destruction and cleansing of Gaza, telling British lawmakers: “It is extremism. It is dangerous. It is repellent. It is monstrous, and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”

At the time, the UK paused trade talks with Israel and imposed sanctions on West Bank settlers, but stopped short of sanctioning the far-right Israeli minister.

CNN’s Rob Picheta, Sharon Braithwaite and Abbas Al Lawati contributed to this report.

Britain and four allies joined forces Tuesday to sanction two Israeli ministers for “repeated incitements of violence” against Palestinians, upping their condemnation of Israel’s actions around the war in Gaza. Itamar Ben Gvir is one of the two far-right Israeli ministers the UK and four other countries have imposed sanctions on (AFP)

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir will be banned from entering the UK and will have any assets in the country frozen, Britain’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

The announcement was a rare joint action alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway and comes as the Israeli government faces growing international criticism over its conduct of the conflict with Hamas.

The sanction sees the five countries break from Israel’s closest ally, the United States.

Ben Gvir and Smotrich “have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”, the foreign ministers of the five countries said in a joint statement.

“These actions are not acceptable. This is why we have taken action now — to hold those responsible to account,” they added.

Smotrich and Ben Gvir are part of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fragile ruling coalition.

Both have drawn criticism for their hard-line stance on the war in Gaza and comments about settlements in the occupied West Bank, the other Palestinian territory.

Smotrich, who lives in a West Bank settlement, has supported the expansion of settlements and has increasingly called for the territory’s annexation.

Last month, he said Gaza would be “entirely destroyed” and that civilians would “start to leave in great numbers to third countries”.

Ben Gvir has also called for Gazans to be resettled from the besieged territory.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the pair have used “horrendous extremist language” and that he would “encourage the Israeli government to disavow and condemn that language”.

Earlier, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel had been informed by Britain of its sanctions decision, describing the move as “outrageous”.

The UK foreign ministry said in its statement that “extremist settlers have carried out over 1,900 attacks against Palestinian civilians since January last year”.

‘Personal capacity’

It said the five countries were “clear that the rising violence and intimidation by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities in the West Bank must stop”.

“Measures today cannot be seen in isolation from events in Gaza where Israel must uphold international humanitarian law,” the foreign ministry said.

It added that the UK and its partners “support Israel’s security and will continue to work with the Israeli government to strive to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza”.

“Hamas must release the hostages immediately, and there must be a path to a two-state solution with Hamas having no role in future governance,” it added.

The action comes after the British government suspended free-trade negotiations with Israel last month and summoned its ambassador over the conduct of the war.

It also announced financial restrictions and travel bans on several prominent settlers, as well as two illegal outposts and two organisations accused of backing violence against Palestinian communities.

Far-right Israeli lawmakers Itamar Ben Gvir, center, and Bezalel Smotrich, right, attend the swearing-in ceremony for the new Israeli parliament, at the Knesset, or parliament, in Jerusalem, November 15, 2022. Maya Alleruzzo/Pool via REUTERS/ File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

Item 1 of 2 Far-right Israeli lawmakers Itamar Ben Gvir, center, and Bezalel Smotrich, right, attend the swearing-in ceremony for the new Israeli parliament, at the Knesset, or parliament, in Jerusalem, November 15, 2022. Maya Alleruzzo/Pool via REUTERS/ File Photo

Summary Ministers sanctioned for ‘inciting’ West Bank violence

Action by UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway

Israeli govt to meet to discuss response, Saar says

LONDON, June 10 (Reuters) – Britain and four other nations on Tuesday imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich , accusing them of repeatedly inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway joined Britain in freezing the assets and imposing travel bans on Israel’s national security minister Ben-Gvir – a West Bank settler – and finance minister Smotrich.

Sign up here.

“Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. These actions are not acceptable,” British foreign minister David Lammy, along with the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway said in a joint statement.

“This is why we have taken action now to hold those responsible to account,” the statement said.

Two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said that the sanctions included targeted financial restrictions and travel bans.

Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, said the move was “outrageous” and the Israeli government would hold a special meeting early next week to decide how to respond to the “unacceptable decision”.

Smotrich, speaking at the inauguration of a new settlement in the Hebron Hills, spoke of “contempt” for Britain’s move.

“Britain has already tried once to prevent us from settling the cradle of our homeland, and we cannot do it again. We are determined God willing to continue building.”

As the five nations announced action against the Israeli ministers, the United States instead said it would sanction individuals and sham charities that provided financial support to Hamas and another Palestinian group.

‘EGREGIOUS’

Last month, the leaders of Britain, France and Canada put pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to end the blockade on aid into Gaza, where international experts have said famine is imminent, promising “concrete action” if a new military offensive did not stop.

London also suspended free trade talks with Israel for pursuing “egregious policies” in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, and announced further sanctions against West Bank settlers.

In response, Netanyahu accused them of wanting to help Hamas and “being on the wrong side of history”.

The joint statement said Tuesday’s action was focused on curbing violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank and was aimed solely at individuals who “undermine Israel’s own security”. But it added the measures could not be seen in isolation of events in Gaza.

“We continue to be appalled by the immense suffering of civilians, including the denial of essential aid,” it said. “There must be no unlawful transfer of Palestinians from Gaza or within the West Bank, nor any reduction in the territory of the Gaza Strip.”

The foreign ministers said they still wanted “a strong friendship with the people of Israel based on shared ties, values and commitment to (its) security and future”.

“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,” the statement said.

Ben-Gvir and Smotrich have previously clashed with Netanyahu, both calling for the permanent conquest of Gaza and re-establishment of the Jewish settlements there that Israel abandoned in 2005, notions that the Israeli leader rejected.

Israel began its offensive in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli tallies, and saw 251 people taken as hostages into Gaza.

Israel’s campaign has devastated much of Gaza and killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.

Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; Additional reporting by Alexander Cornwell in Tel Aviv; writing by Muvija M and Elizabeth Piper, Editing by Kate Holton and Michael Holden

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

Share X

Facebook

Linkedin

Email

Link Purchase Licensing Rights