{"id":286022,"date":"2025-06-10T15:22:42","date_gmt":"2025-06-10T15:22:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/uk-places-sanctions-on-two-far-right-israeli-ministers-over-monstrous-gaza-comments-foreign-policy\/"},"modified":"2025-06-10T15:22:42","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T15:22:42","slug":"uk-places-sanctions-on-two-far-right-israeli-ministers-over-monstrous-gaza-comments-foreign-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=286022","title":{"rendered":"UK places sanctions on two far-right Israeli ministers over \u2018monstrous\u2019 Gaza comments | Foreign policy"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The UK has been joined by Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway in placing sanctions on two Israeli government ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, over their \u201cmonstrous\u201d comments about Gaza, including plans to destroy the territory and use violence to gain control of new settlements in the West Bank.<\/p>\n

Ben-Gvir, the security minister in Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s coalition government, and Smotrich, the finance minister, will face travel bans and have their assets frozen.<\/p>\n

The UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, along with the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway said in a joint statement: \u201cWe 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cItamar 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 \u2013 to hold those responsible to account.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will strive to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza<\/a>, 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

The move comes as the UK and other western countries seek to increase pressure on Israel\u2019s government over the war in Gaza.<\/p>\n

The US is not expected to be party to the move.<\/p>\n

The Israeli government said it had been informed at lunchtime on Tuesday. Israel\u2019s foreign affairs minister, Gideon Sa\u2019ar, said it was \u201coutrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these kind of measures\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI discussed it earlier today with PM Netanyahu and we will hold a special government meeting early next week to decide on our response to this unacceptable decision,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The Foreign Office said the sanctions were for the men\u2019s repeated incitement of violence against Palestinian civilians, effective immediately.<\/p>\n

It said in a statement: \u201cThe UK has made clear in public and private to the Netanyahu government 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe measures announced by international partners today demonstrate the commitment to ensure individuals are held accountable for encouraging and inciting human rights abuses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sanctions announcements are typically kept under wraps on the basis that advance warning gives those targeted the chance to remove their assets from the relevant jurisdiction.<\/p>\n

UK ministers have had the option of imposing sanctions on the two ministers for more than a year, and only a fortnight ago decided to hold back after needing more work to secure international support for the move.<\/p>\n

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