The United Kingdom Imposes Sanctions on Two Far-Right Israeli Ministers.

The tragedy in Gaza has pushed UK’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, to adopt a tougher stance towards Israel. The Labour government announced this Tuesday, in a statement shared with Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Norway, the imposition of sanctions against far-right ministers in Netanyahu’s Cabinet for “inciting extremist violence and serious human rights abuses against Palestinians.” These countries are thus several steps ahead of the European Union, which has limited its sanctions to violent Israeli settlers.

The sanctioned individuals are Itamar Ben Gvir, a supremacist MP who holds the Ministry of National Security, and Bezalel Smotrich, the current Minister of Finance. “The extremist rhetoric advocating for the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is outrageous and dangerous. It is unacceptable. We have persistently urged the Israeli government to intervene, but they continue to encourage the violent perpetrators, who act with impunity,” the statement emphasizes.

Asset Freezing

The punitive measures agreed upon against both involve a travel ban to the UK and the other signatory countries, as well as the freezing of any assets they may hold outside of Israel.

“We remain firmly committed to the two-state solution, the only way to guarantee security and dignity for both Israelis and Palestinians, as well as long-term stability in the region, threatened by the extremist violence of settlers and the expansion of settlements,” the statement denounces.

Starmer, who expressed unwavering support for the initial phase of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, immediately faced discontent and internal rebellion within the Labour ranks as the suffering of Gazans became known. Since then, the Prime Minister has gradually intensified his criticisms of the Netanyahu government. However, the language of the joint statement still reveals an attempt to balance words and condemnations.

“The measures announced today do not deviate from our unshakeable support for Israel’s security, and we continue to condemn the horrific terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7. These measures are aimed at individuals who, in our view, undermine Israel’s own security and its position in the world,” the statement reads.

Israeli Response

The Israeli response, as on previous occasions, has been harsh and defiant. After Netanyahu’s government was informed of the sanctions around noon on Tuesday, Israeli Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, asserted that it was “outrageous that elected officials and government members were subjected to such measures.” Saar stated that the government would hold an extraordinary meeting this week to respond to “an unacceptable decision.”

Minister Smotrich, an advocate for the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, has firmly opposed the arrival of humanitarian aid to the Strip. “Gaza will be completely destroyed, and civilians will be sent to a humanitarian zone in the south, free from Hamas and terrorism. From there, they will begin to leave in large groups to other countries,” he said last Friday.

Gvir has publicly called for the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site for Muslims, to be converted into a synagogue. He continues to demand the expulsion of the Palestinian population from the Strip. “We must encourage emigration, the voluntary emigration of Gaza residents,” he asserted last year.

Firmness

The gradual toughness of Starmer’s government against Israel is largely due—besides the international pressure and that from his party members—to the steadfastness of his Foreign Minister, David Lammy, in response to the Middle Eastern crisis. He was the one who announced the embargo on a good number of arms that the UK was selling to Israel, amid suspicions that they were being used to violate international legality.

Lammy also defended in the House of Commons the harsh statement jointly signed by the UK, France, and Canada, which warned of serious repercussions if “Israel did not cease its renewed military offensive in Gaza and lift its restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip.” “The level of human suffering is intolerable,” read a text of unusual firmness that accused Netanyahu’s government of undermining international humanitarian law.