The UK, one of Israel’s strategic partners in Europe, has imposed personal sanctions on Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich and Minister of Internal Security Itamar Ben-Gvir. The unprecedented step was announced earlier today following similar measures taken by New Zealand, Australia and Canada. The sanctions include freezing assets, and prohibition on financial activities as well as a travel ban. This is another step in a series of sanctions and critical measures against Israel by a growing group of Western countries.
The reason for the personal sanctions on the two ministers is their statements regarding Gaza. The UK has already imposed personal sanctions on violent settlers and settler organizations linked to violence in the territories.
This week, Smotrich reportedly called on banks in Israel to use their legal, economic and international power to fight “unjust sanctions,” as he put it, such as those imposed on settlers and settler organizations. Smotrich also threatened that if the banking system does not provide an appropriate response, he intends to oblige the Bank of Israel itself to provide bank account services to citizens on whom sanctions have been imposed. “The State of Israel will not accept foreign interference in its affairs, and certainly will not abandon its loyal citizens in their fight against international de-legitimization.”
“Concrete steps”
Now the UK is imposing harsher measures, after threatening Israel with “sanctions” if it does not change its current settlement expansion policy. At the same time, the UK has also threatened “concrete steps” if Israel does not stop the military operation in Gaza and help alleviate the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. The latest sanctions bring relations between the countries to a low point, although Britain still supplies Israel with ammunition and spare parts for F-35 aircraft.
According to “The London Times”, extreme statements by ministers, including Smotrich’s commitment to “not put a grain” of food into the Gaza Strip, and his call to ensure that “Gaza is destroyed”, as well as Ben-Gvir’s calls to encourage transfer of Palestinians out of Gaza, are the background to the new steps. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy previously described the statements by the two ministers as “monstrous.” The UK sanctions include a ban on any British financial institution offering services to the two, similar to the sanctions imposed on Russian oligarchs and government members after the war in Ukraine.
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Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar said, “We have been informed of Britain’s decision to include two of our ministers on the British sanctions list. It is a scandal that elected officials and members of the government are subject to these types of measures. I discussed this earlier today with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and we will hold a special cabinet meeting early next week to decide on our response to this unacceptable decision.”
Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on June 10, 2025.
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