{"id":10060,"date":"2025-06-10T18:04:06","date_gmt":"2025-06-10T18:04:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/?p=10060"},"modified":"2025-06-10T18:04:06","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T18:04:06","slug":"uk-to-sanction-far-right-israeli-ministers-for-stoking-violence-in-palestine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/?p=10060","title":{"rendered":"UK to sanction far-right Israeli ministers for stoking violence in Palestine"},"content":{"rendered":"
The United Kingdom, alongside four key allies, has imposed sanctions on two senior Israeli ministers, citing their \u201crepeated incitement of violence against Palestinian communities\u201d amid escalating conflict in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.<\/p>\n

The sanctions, which include asset freezes and travel bans, target Israel\u2019s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The measures were announced in a joint statement by the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway.<\/p>\n

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the action was taken in response to the ministers\u2019 \u201cextremist rhetoric and incitement,\u201d which have contributed to serious human rights abuses. \u201cThese actions are not acceptable,\u201d the statement read. \u201cThis is why we have taken action now to hold those responsible to account.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are known for their far-right positions, support for expanding Israeli settlements deemed illegal under international law, and public calls for the annexation of Palestinian land. Smotrich has previously made statements suggesting support for the expulsion of Palestinians and the destruction of Gaza, while Ben-Gvir, a settler himself, has called for the re-establishment of Israeli settlements in the coastal enclave.<\/p>\n

Israel\u2019s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the sanctions \u201coutrageous\u201d and announced a special cabinet meeting to formulate a response. Smotrich, speaking at the inauguration of a new settlement in Hebron, dismissed the UK’s move as \u201ccontemptible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBritain already tried once to prevent us from settling our homeland. We will not allow it again,\u201d he said, referring to British rule over Palestine prior to Israel\u2019s founding in 1948.<\/p>\n

The sanctions come amid growing frustration from Western governments over Israel\u2019s military campaign in Gaza and its restrictions on humanitarian aid. In recent weeks, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has indicated that coordinated action with international partners is more effective than unilateral moves. Last month, the UK suspended trade negotiations with Israel and summoned its ambassador over \u201cegregious policies\u201d in the occupied territories.<\/p>\n

The UK, along with France and Canada, has warned Israel of \u201cconcrete actions\u201d if it continues its military offensive and maintains aid blockades. All three nations have reiterated their support for a two-state solution.<\/p>\n

Foreign Secretary Lammy has sharply criticised recent Israeli operations, calling them \u201ca dark new phase in this conflict.\u201d He also condemned Smotrich\u2019s earlier comments that hinted at ethnic cleansing and the forced relocation of Palestinians.<\/p>\n

The war in Gaza, which began in October 2023, has claimed nearly 55,000 Palestinian lives\u2014most of them women and children\u2014according to Gaza\u2019s Ministry of Health. Israel has enforced a strict blockade on the territory, allowing only limited aid through a controversial, US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which critics say politicises relief efforts and undermines humanitarian principles.<\/p>\n

Since the aid mechanism began operating on 27 May, at least 130 Palestinians have reportedly been killed by Israeli gunfire while attempting to access food, with over 1,000 injured.<\/p>\n

In parallel, Israeli forces have intensified raids across the occupied West Bank. On Tuesday, troops launched a large-scale operation in the city of Nablus, injuring at least 60 people with live ammunition and tear gas. Dozens were arrested, and the city\u2019s Old City district was placed under lockdown.<\/p>\n

Reporting from Nablus, Al Jazeera\u2019s Nour Odeh described a dire situation: \u201cResidents cannot leave their homes. Paramedics are struggling to reach the injured, and essential services are shut down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schools, bakeries, and public offices have closed amid the military escalation, as the Israeli army continues operations in towns and refugee camps across the West Bank. Settler violence, often carried out under military protection, has also increased, targeting Palestinian civilians and property.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The United Kingdom, alongside four key allies, has imposed sanctions on two senior Israeli ministers, citing their \u201crepeated incitement of violence against Palestinian communities\u201d amid escalating conflict in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The sanctions, which include asset freezes and travel bans, target Israel\u2019s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10060","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-english-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10060","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10060"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10060\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10060"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10060"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10060"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}