The United Kingdom, alongside allies including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway, has imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir (National Security Minister) and Bezalel Smotrich (Finance Minister), accusing them of “inciting extremist violence” against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

These sanctions include travel bans preventing them from entering the UK and freezing any assets they hold within these countries.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned the ministers for provoking settler violence that has resulted in deaths and displacement of Palestinian civilians, describing the actions as “cruel, degrading and completely unacceptable”. The sanctions are part of a coordinated international effort reflecting concerns that the ministers’ rhetoric and policies exacerbate tensions and human rights abuses in the region. The UK and its allies emphasize their commitment to a two-state solution, warning that extremist settler violence and settlement expansion threaten long-term peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Israel has strongly objected to the sanctions, calling them unacceptable and defending the ministers as elected officials who have not engaged in criminal conduct.

The move has also drawn criticism from some US officials, highlighting a rare diplomatic divergence with close allies.

This development occurs amid ongoing conflict and humanitarian crises in Gaza and the West Bank, where violence has escalated since the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, leading to thousands of deaths and widespread suffering.

The far-right ministers are known for their hardline nationalist views, including advocating Israeli sovereignty over the occupied territories and dismissing Palestinian national identity, which fuels controversy and division within Israeli society and internationally.