US Urges Reversal of Sanctions Against Pair of Israeli Government Ministers

The United Kingdom and four other countries announced sanctions against the ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich on June 10.

Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir (R) speaks before Otzma Yehudit party meeting at the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on June 3, 2024. Amir Levy/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—The UK, Canada, and three other countries imposed new sanctions against Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on June 10, in a move the U.S. State Department said would not help to resolve ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

In a June 10  joint press statement, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway specifically accused Ben-Gvir and Smotrich of inciting violence against Palestinian communities, particularly in the West Bank.

The five countries raised concerns about the continuing expansion of Israeli settlements in the contested West Bank and about instances of Israeli settlers engaging in violent attacks.

“These actions are not acceptable. We have engaged the Israeli government on this issue extensively, yet violent perpetrators continue to act with encouragement and impunity. This is why we have taken this action now—to hold those responsible to account,” the five-country joint statement reads.

The British government said it would freeze Ben-Gvir’s and Smotrich’s assets and bar them from directing or managing any UK-based business entities.

Likewise, the Australian government said it would freeze the Israeli ministers’ assets and bar them from entering the country.

New Zealand’s government said its sanctions would prevent the two Israeli ministers from entering its country as well.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a June 10 statement, condemned the sanctions and said the five countries should focus their criticisms on terrorist group Hamas.

“We reject any notion of equivalence: Hamas is a terrorist organization that committed unspeakable atrocities, continues to hold innocent civilians hostage, and prevents the people of Gaza from living in peace. We remind our partners not to forget who the real enemy is,” Rubio said.

He also urged the five countries to quickly reverse their sanctions.

At a press briefing on the afternoon of June 10, State Department press secretary Tammy Bruce also described the sanctions against Ben-Gvir and Smotrich as “extremely unhelpful.” 

Bruce noted that six British citizens and 46 U.S. citizens were killed, and the remains of four U.S. citizens are still in Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack across southern Israel.

In their joint statement, the governments of the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway said they had not lost sight of the Hamas attack that set off the ongoing fighting in the Gaza Strip.

“The measures announced today do not deviate from our unwavering support for Israel’s security, and we continue to condemn the horrific terror attacks of Oct. 7 by Hamas,” they said.

Still, the five countries said that a two-state solution, whereby the Palestinian population gains autonomy over a country of their own, remains the best chance to preserve the security of both the Israeli and Palestinian populations.

“Today’s measures are targeted towards individuals who, in our view, undermine Israel’s own security and its standing in the world,” reads the June 10 statement from the five countries.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said the sanctions actions targeting Ben-Gvir and Smotrich “are outrageous and unacceptable.”

Sa'ar also thanked Rubio for speaking in opposition to the sanctions.