The UK has imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, over their “repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities” in the occupied West Bank. The foreign secretary announced the move as part of a joint effort with Australia, Norway, Canada, and New Zealand to condemn extremist violence.
The UK government claims that Smotrich and Ben-Gvir have “incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights.” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the sanctions, urging nations to reverse them and describing the move as a “shocking decision.”
The sanctions ban both ministers from entering the UK and freeze any assets they may hold in the country. The Foreign Office stated that the measure is part of a wider international response to address rising violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
Critics argue that Smotrich and Ben-Gvir’s rhetoric has contributed to escalating tensions, with many Palestinian civilians killed or displaced due to settler violence. The UK decision reflects growing pressure on Israel from allies and domestic groups to take action against its government for alleged human rights abuses.
The move comes amid a long-standing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which began in October 2023. Since then, at least 54,927 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8xgk1ek19lo