The Foreign Office has confirmed sanctions against Israeli government ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
They are being sanctioned by the UK government in conjunction with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway for what’s described as “repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities”.
They have had any assets in those respective countries frozen, and are banned from travelling to any of them.
Such violence undermines the prospect of a future Palestinian state, a statement says.
The government says it has “made clear in public and private” to Netanyahu’s administration its concerns about Ben-Gvir and Smotrich’s “inflammatory and extremist statements”, which have amounted to “encouraging and inciting human rights abuses”.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy added: “We will strive to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, 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.”
The Conservatives say they support a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine “in the right way and at the right time”.
Priti Patel has responded to the UK government’s decision to sanction two Israeli ministers, but the shadow foreign secretary has made no mention of the sanctions or whether the Tories support them.
Instead, Patel said “the British government must leverage its influence at every opportunity” to ensure the remaining hostages are released, aid reaches those in Gaza, and a “sustainable end to the conflict is achieved”
Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer will give a statement in the House of Commons this evening on the sanctions announced today.
The UK government, alongside allies including New Zealand and Norway, sanctioned Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
