UK considering sanctions on Israeli ministers Smotrich and Ben-Gvir

The sanctions are in response to Smotrich’s comments that starving civilians in Gaza might be justified and Ben-Gvir’s remarks that violent settlers are heroes.

The United Kingdom is considering sanctioning Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over incendiary comments made about Palestinians.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday that he was mulling the sanctions in response to Smotrich‘s comments that starving civilians in Gaza might be justified and Ben-Gvir’s remarks that perpetrators of settler violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank were heroes.

The UK’s previous foreign secretary, David Cameron, had planned to sanction the Israeli officials before his then-governing Conservative Party lost an election in July, he revealed earlier this week.

“We are looking at that because they’re obviously abhorrent comments,” the prime minister said.

Both Smotrich and Ben-Gvir said the threat of sanctions would not deter them from changing their positions.

“They don’t scare me and I will continue to act only according to Israel’s highest national interests,” Ben-Gvir said in a statement, while Smotrich said, “No threat will prevent me from doing the right and moral thing for the citizens of Israel.”

Starmer was speaking ahead of a meeting at the United Nations Security Council to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza called by the UK, France and Algeria.

Starmer’s government has been slighter tougher on the country than the previous Conservative administration, limiting some arms exports and sanctioning some Israeli settler organisations.

Both Ben Gvir and Smotrich are vocal supporters of Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, which is considered illegal under international law.

Starmer told lawmakers on Wednesday that “the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire”.

“Israel must take all possible steps to avoid civilian casualties, to allow aid into Gaza in much greater volumes and provide the UN humanitarian partners the ability to operate effectively,” Starmer said.

Earlier, the United States said the humanitarian situation must improve or Israel could face potential restrictions on US military aid.

Israel’s envoy to the UN said they will ensure aid reaches those who need it.