The Times: UK imposes sanctions on hard-right Israeli ministers

The UK is set to formally sanction two hard-right Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir (Security Minister) and Bezalel Smotrich (Finance Minister), due to their "monstrous" remarks concerning Gaza.

This move, which includes asset freezes and travel bans, represents a significant divergence from Washington's stance, Caliber.Az reports via The Times. 

The UK will join Canada, Australia, and New Zealand in implementing these sanctions. Notably, these two ministers are crucial for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in maintaining his delicate coalition government. Smotrich has given his approval for the expansion of West Bank settlements, which are considered illegal under international law.

He has also actively campaigned against allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza, previously stating that he would permit “not even a grain of wheat” to enter the warzone. Last month, he further commented that “Gaza will be entirely destroyed” and that Palestinians would “leave in great numbers to third countries.” Ben-Gvir has publicly advocated for the replacement of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem with a synagogue and for the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza.

Last year, he declared, “We must encourage emigration. Encourage the voluntary emigration of the residents of Gaza.” Earlier this year, he asserted that “there is no need to bring in aid [to Gaza]. They have enough,” labeling the decision to resume aid deliveries a “serious and grave mistake.” Sir Keir Starmer conveyed his view that the situation in Gaza was “intolerable.” He commented, “I think anybody looking at what’s going on in Gaza would be shocked, and that’s why we do need to get back to a ceasefire urgently. It’s why we need to get the remaining hostages out, they’ve been there a very long time.”

He added, “And of course, humanitarian aid needs to get in at volume and at speed. We are talking to other partners about what more we could do, including questions of sanctions. My strong belief is [that] when we make a move if we’re able to do that in company of other countries that’s a stronger move than doing it on our own.” These sanctions prohibit both Smotrich and Ben-Gvir from entering Britain and forbid any UK-based financial institutions from conducting transactions with them. These measures mirror those implemented against high-ranking Russian officials associated with the conflict in Ukraine. A spokesperson for the Israeli government voiced strong disapproval, stating, “It is outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to this kind of measures.” 

Gideon Sa’ar, Israel’s Foreign Minister, labeled the sanctions a “scandal,” announcing that a special government meeting would be convened next week to determine their response. David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, asserted that Ben-Gvir and Smotrich had been “inciting violence against Palestinian people for months and months and months” and “have been encouraging egregious abuses of human rights.” He had previously indicated that the UK was preparing to impose sanctions due to their comments, which he had characterized as “monstrous.”   He informed the Commons last month that “We are now entering a dark new phase in this conflict.

Netanyahu’s government is planning to drive Gazans from their homes into a corner of the strip to the south and permit them a fraction of the aid that they need.” He continued, “Yesterday, minister [Bezalel] Smotrich even spoke of Israeli forces cleansing Gaza, destroying what’s left of residents, Palestinians being relocated, he said, to third countries.” He concluded by stating, “We must call this what it is. It is extremism. It is dangerous. It is repellent. It is monstrous and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”

By Naila Huseynova