The United Kingdom, alongside several international partners, has announced sanctions against two of Israel’s most hardline ministers—Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich—citing their “repeated incitement of violence” against Palestinians in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

The move, joined by Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway, includes asset freezes and travel bans. It marks a rare direct rebuke by Western states against senior Israeli officials amid growing global outcry over Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, described by numerous rights groups as genocidal in scope.

Ben-Gvir, Israel’s National Security Minister, and Smotrich, who oversees the finance portfolio, have long been accused of fanning flames of settler violence, pushing for annexation of Palestinian land, and promoting policies tantamount to ethnic cleansing.

“These individuals have incited extremist violence and enabled widespread human rights abuses against Palestinian communities,” said UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy in a joint statement with counterparts from the other sanctioning nations. “This is unacceptable, and we are acting to hold them accountable.”

The Israeli government, however, reacted with fury. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the sanctions “outrageous,” vowing to convene an emergency meeting next week to consider retaliatory measures.

Smotrich, speaking at a newly established illegal outpost near Hebron, doubled down. “Britain failed to stop us before, and they will not stop us now,” he declared, referencing the British Mandate era.

The sanctions come as Western leaders, particularly in Europe, face mounting domestic pressure to halt support for the Israeli military offensive, which has killed nearly 55,000 Palestinians since October 2023, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The vast majority of those killed are women and children.

Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned of famine, citing Israel’s blockade on aid. While a limited relief mechanism backed by Israel and the United States is in place, critics argue it has served more to control than to deliver meaningful aid.

The UK previously suspended free trade negotiations with Israel and summoned its ambassador following what it described as “egregious violations” in both Gaza and the West Bank. Lammy also condemned Smotrich’s recent statements calling for the forced expulsion of Gaza’s population—a move human rights monitors say constitutes advocacy for ethnic cleansing.

Ben-Gvir and Smotrich have openly called for the re-occupation of Gaza and the return of illegal settlements dismantled in 2005, views that directly contradict international law and consensus on a two-state solution.

Despite this, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains defiant. He accused the UK, France, and Canada—who have hinted at further “concrete actions”—of siding with Hamas and “standing on the wrong side of history.”

Meanwhile, conditions in the occupied West Bank continue to deteriorate. On Tuesday, Israeli forces carried out a major military operation in Nablus, injuring at least 60 Palestinians and arresting dozens more. Residents, under lockdown, reported widespread use of live ammunition and tear gas.

“Paramedics can’t reach those in need. The city’s paralyzed,” reported Al Jazeera correspondent Nour Odeh. Schools, government buildings, and shops have all shut down under the pressure of military presence and ongoing settler attacks.

As international outrage builds, calls for concrete accountability measures—including arms embargoes, economic sanctions, and prosecution of Israeli officials in international courts—are intensifying.

With a growing number of nations breaking their silence, pressure is mounting on traditional allies of Israel to reassess their diplomatic and military relationships—before history delivers its verdict.


By WafricNews Desk.