The nations of the British Commonwealth – Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – joined with Norway on Tuesday to impose sanctions on two Israeli government ministers: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
The five nations froze the assets and imposed travel bans on the two Israeli government ministers, targeting them for encouraging voluntary emigration from Gaza, and their opposition to providing humanitarian aid to the enemy.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar slammed the decision in a statement to reporters at a news conference with Zambia’s Foreign Minister Mulambo Haimbe Tuesday in Jerusalem.
Israel Slams Sanctions Against Smotrich, Ben-Gvir
“We were informed about the UK decision to include two of our Ministers on the British Sanctions list,” Sa’ar said.
“It is outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these kinds of measures,” he said.
“I discussed it earlier today with Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu and we will hold a special government meeting early next week to decide on our response to this unacceptable decision.”
Claims of ‘Inciting Violence Against Palestinians’
Smotrich and Ben-Gvir were also accused of “inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank,” according to the joint statement.
“Today, the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom have announced sanctions and other measures targeting Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank,” the joint statement reads.
“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 five countries claimed.
‘Two-State Solution is Only Solution’
“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 imperiled by extremist settler violence and settlement expansion,” 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,” the five nations said.
“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. The Israeli Government must uphold its obligations under international law and we call on it to take meaningful action to end extremist, violent and expansionist rhetoric.”
The five nations claimed that the sanctions “are targeted towards individuals who in our view undermine Israel’s own security and its standing in the world” while ordering Israel to refrain from “unlawful transfer of Palestinians from Gaza or within the West Bank, nor any reduction in the territory of the Gaza Strip.”
