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| UK, Australia and Canada sanction two far-right Israeli ministers for inciting West Bank violence | UK, Australia and Canada sanction two far-right Israeli ministers for inciting West Bank violence |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| New Zealand and Norway also impose measures on Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich | New Zealand and Norway also impose measures on Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich |
| The UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway have placed sanctions on two Israeli government ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, largely for inciting violence against Palestinians in their campaign to gain control of new settlements in the West Bank. | The UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway have placed sanctions on two Israeli government ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, largely for inciting violence against Palestinians in their campaign to gain control of new settlements in the West Bank. |
| Ben-Gvir, the security minister in Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government, and Smotrich, the finance minister, will face travel bans and have any assets in the five countries frozen. It was stressed that they were being sanctioned in their personal capacity, placing no restrictions on the ministries they lead. Netanyahu has promised to retaliate. | Ben-Gvir, the security minister in Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government, and Smotrich, the finance minister, will face travel bans and have any assets in the five countries frozen. It was stressed that they were being sanctioned in their personal capacity, placing no restrictions on the ministries they lead. Netanyahu has promised to retaliate. |
| The move was quickly condemned by the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who called for the sanctions to be lifted and said the US stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Israel. | The move was quickly condemned by the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who called for the sanctions to be lifted and said the US stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Israel. |
| “These sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war,” Rubio wrote, adding: “We remind our partners not to forget who the real enemy is.” | “These sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war,” Rubio wrote, adding: “We remind our partners not to forget who the real enemy is.” |
| In a carefully prepared move, for which Israel had little advance notice, the UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, along with the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, announced the sanctions in a joint statement: “We are steadfastly committed to the two-state solution and will continue to work with our partners towards its implementation. | In a carefully prepared move, for which Israel had little advance notice, the UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, along with the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, announced the sanctions in a joint statement: “We are steadfastly committed to the two-state solution and will continue to work with our partners towards its implementation. |
| “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. | “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. | “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. | “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. |
| “Today’s measures focus on the West Bank, but 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. 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.” | “Today’s measures focus on the West Bank, but 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. 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 UK risks a further row with the US if it sets out plans to recognise a Palestinian state at a UN conference in New York next week. The Middle East minister Hamish Falconer was subjected to nearly two hours of intense pressure on the issue in the Commons on Tuesday evening and he said he intended to make a further statement to MPs next week when consultations with allies were completed. | |
| The previous UK foreign secretary, David Cameron, said he had planned to take the move against the two ministers last summer, but held back when he was told the decision was too political to take during an election campaign. | The previous UK foreign secretary, David Cameron, said he had planned to take the move against the two ministers last summer, but held back when he was told the decision was too political to take during an election campaign. |
| By building an alliance of five countries, the UK may hope to protect itself from being the sole subject of Israeli and US anger. It may also be intended to stress Israel’s growing international isolation, but that will not disturb Israel as long as it has the protection of the White House. | By building an alliance of five countries, the UK may hope to protect itself from being the sole subject of Israeli and US anger. It may also be intended to stress Israel’s growing international isolation, but that will not disturb Israel as long as it has the protection of the White House. |
| The EU requires unanimity among its 27 states to take parallel action, and would face resistance from Hungary. It is instead looking at possible trade restrictions that only require a qualified majority of EU states to approve them. Pressure has been building for concrete action in Canada, Norway and Australia. | The EU requires unanimity among its 27 states to take parallel action, and would face resistance from Hungary. It is instead looking at possible trade restrictions that only require a qualified majority of EU states to approve them. Pressure has been building for concrete action in Canada, Norway and Australia. |
| Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, described the UK decision as unacceptable and said it was “outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these kind of measures”. | Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, described the UK decision as unacceptable and said it was “outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these kind of measures”. |
| Smotrich said: “Britain has already tried once to prevent us from settling the cradle of our homeland, and we will not allow it to do so again.” | Smotrich said: “Britain has already tried once to prevent us from settling the cradle of our homeland, and we will not allow it to do so again.” |
| Ben-Gvir said: “We passed Pharaoh, we will also pass Starmer’s wall.” | Ben-Gvir said: “We passed Pharaoh, we will also pass Starmer’s wall.” |
| The former defence minister Benny Gantz said: “I vehemently disagree with ministers Smotrich and Ben Gvir on a wide range of issues – but the imposition of British sanctions on ministers in the one and only democracy in the Middle East, the state of Israel, is a profound moral mistake and sends a dangerous message to terrorists.” | The former defence minister Benny Gantz said: “I vehemently disagree with ministers Smotrich and Ben Gvir on a wide range of issues – but the imposition of British sanctions on ministers in the one and only democracy in the Middle East, the state of Israel, is a profound moral mistake and sends a dangerous message to terrorists.” |
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| The Foreign Office said the sanctions were primarily for the men’s incitement of violence against Palestinian civilians, and that ministers had repeatedly made clear to the Netanyahu government in public and private that Israel must cease expansion of illegal settlements, which undermine a future Palestinian state, clamp down on settler violence and condemn inflammatory and extremist statements from both individuals. | The Foreign Office said the sanctions were primarily for the men’s incitement of violence against Palestinian civilians, and that ministers had repeatedly made clear to the Netanyahu government in public and private that Israel must cease expansion of illegal settlements, which undermine a future Palestinian state, clamp down on settler violence and condemn inflammatory and extremist statements from both individuals. |
| Lammy said: “These two individuals have been inciting violence against Palestinian people for months and months and months.” | Lammy said: “These two individuals have been inciting violence against Palestinian people for months and months and months.” |
| Smotrich has approved the expansion of West Bank settlements and campaigned against humanitarian aid in Gaza, saying in May that he would allow “not even a grain of wheat” to enter the war zone. | Smotrich has approved the expansion of West Bank settlements and campaigned against humanitarian aid in Gaza, saying in May that he would allow “not even a grain of wheat” to enter the war zone. |
| He said on 6 May that “Gaza will be entirely destroyed, civilians will be sent to … the south to a humanitarian zone without Hamas or terrorism, and from there they will start to leave in great numbers to third countries”. | He said on 6 May that “Gaza will be entirely destroyed, civilians will be sent to … the south to a humanitarian zone without Hamas or terrorism, and from there they will start to leave in great numbers to third countries”. |
| In remarks condemned by Germany, one of Israel’s closest allies, he said last year that the potential deaths of 2 million Palestinians in the blockaded Gaza Strip from hunger may be justifiable. | In remarks condemned by Germany, one of Israel’s closest allies, he said last year that the potential deaths of 2 million Palestinians in the blockaded Gaza Strip from hunger may be justifiable. |
| “We can’t, in the current global reality, manage a war. Nobody will let us cause 2 million civilians to die of hunger even though it might be justified and moral until our hostages are returned,” he told a conference hosted by the Israel Hayom newspaper. | “We can’t, in the current global reality, manage a war. Nobody will let us cause 2 million civilians to die of hunger even though it might be justified and moral until our hostages are returned,” he told a conference hosted by the Israel Hayom newspaper. |
| Ben-Gvir stormed the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on 26 May and has called for the Muslim world’s third-holiest site to be replaced with a synagogue. He has also called for the voluntary departure of Palestinian refugees from Gaza. | Ben-Gvir stormed the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on 26 May and has called for the Muslim world’s third-holiest site to be replaced with a synagogue. He has also called for the voluntary departure of Palestinian refugees from Gaza. |
| Lammy described Smotrich’s comments as monstrous and repellant in the Commons a fortnight ago, but he held back from placing sanctions on the two men. He imposed sanctions on a small group of settlers and announced there would be no further talks on an expanded trade deal with Israel. | Lammy described Smotrich’s comments as monstrous and repellant in the Commons a fortnight ago, but he held back from placing sanctions on the two men. He imposed sanctions on a small group of settlers and announced there would be no further talks on an expanded trade deal with Israel. |
| The former Conservative Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell said he fully understood why the government had imposed the sanctions. The Labour chair of the foreign affairs select committee, Emily Thornberry, welcomed the move, but said it must not be a substitute for any plans to recognise a Palestinian state. | The former Conservative Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell said he fully understood why the government had imposed the sanctions. The Labour chair of the foreign affairs select committee, Emily Thornberry, welcomed the move, but said it must not be a substitute for any plans to recognise a Palestinian state. |
| Labour Friends of Israel said: “By their words and deeds, Ben-Gvir and Smotrich’s actions in government have given succour to those who perpetrate disgraceful and utterly unacceptable violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.” | Labour Friends of Israel said: “By their words and deeds, Ben-Gvir and Smotrich’s actions in government have given succour to those who perpetrate disgraceful and utterly unacceptable violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.” |