US slams sanctions by UK, allies on far-right Israeli ministers

WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the sanctions imposed on June 10 by Britain and other nations against two Israeli Cabinet members accused of repeatedly inciting violence against Palestinians.

“These sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war” in Gaza, Mr Rubio said in a statement.

Britain’s Foreign Ministry earlier announced that Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir will be banned from entering the UK and will have any assets in the country frozen.

Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway also imposed fresh measures against the ministers, as the Israeli government faces growing international criticism over the conduct of its conflict with Hamas.

The sanctions mark a break between the five countries and Israel’s closest ally, the US, with Mr Rubio urging partners “not to forget who the real enemy is” and to stand “shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel” against Hamas.

Mr Ben Gvir and Mr Smotrich “have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”, the foreign ministers of the five countries said in a joint statement.

“These actions are not acceptable. This is why we have taken action now – to hold those responsible to account,” they said.

A British government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Canada and Australia had also imposed sanctions, while Norway and New Zealand had implemented travel bans only.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar slammed the sanctions as “outrageous”.

‘Horrendous language’

Mr Smotrich and Mr Ben Gvir are part of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fragile ruling coalition.

Both have drawn criticism for their hardline stance on the Gaza war and comments about settlements in the occupied West Bank, the other Palestinian territory.

Mr Smotrich, who lives in a West Bank settlement, has supported the expansion of settlements and has called for the territory’s annexation. He said in May that Gaza would be “entirely destroyed”, and that civilians would “start to leave in great numbers to third countries”.

Mr Ben Gvir has also called for Gazans to be resettled from the besieged territory.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the pair had used “horrendous extremist language” and that he would “encourage the Israeli government to disavow and condemn that language”.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters insisted the measures were not directed against the Israeli people or government.

“Rather, the travel bans are targeted at two individuals who are using their leadership positions to actively undermine peace and security and remove prospects for a two-state solution,” he said in a statement.

‘Violence must stop’

The British Foreign Ministry said in its statement that “extremist settlers have carried out over 1,900 attacks against Palestinian civilians since January last year”.

It said the five countries were “clear that the rising violence and intimidation by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities in the West Bank must stop”.

“Measures today cannot be seen in isolation from events in Gaza where Israel must uphold international humanitarian law,” the ministry said.

It added that the five nations “support Israel’s security and will continue to work with the Israeli government to strive to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza”.

Britain had already suspended free-trade negotiations with Israel in May and summoned Israel’s ambassador over the conduct of the war.

It also announced financial restrictions and travel bans on several prominent settlers, as well as two illegal outposts and two organisations accused of backing violence against Palestinian communities. AFP