UK Imposes Sanctions on Israeli Ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich over Gaza Genocidal Remarks

The UK Foreign Office said Tuesday the sanctions were a response to the ministers’ “extremist and inhumane” statements about Gaza. A joint statement from the five countries said both men played roles in inciting violence against Palestinians.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy confirmed the decision. “We took action to hold Ben Gvir and Smotrich accountable for promoting violent extremism,” he said.

The sanctions include freezing their assets in the UK and banning them from entering British territory. According to The Times, the move reflects growing Western frustration with Israel’s conduct in Gaza.

Lammy described the ministers’ comments as “brutal and repugnant.” Speaking to Parliament last month, he warned that Netanyahu’s government was pushing Gaza’s population into a corner. “This is dangerous extremism. We must call it out,” he said.

Smotrich had sparked international outrage in May by saying Gaza should be “completely destroyed” and that Palestinians should be forced to leave in large numbers. He had also vowed to block all humanitarian aid, stating, “Not even one grain of wheat should enter Gaza.”

Ben Gvir, a far-right figure, previously called for the “voluntary migration” of Gaza’s population. He also expressed support for replacing Al-Aqsa Mosque with a Jewish temple, a statement that triggered widespread condemnation.

In earlier remarks this year, Ben Gvir claimed, “Gaza doesn’t need aid. They have enough.” He labeled aid deliveries “a grave mistake.”

The UK’s latest action marks one of the most serious sanctions by a Western country against Israeli officials since the Gaza genocide began. Observers say it reflects growing concern over Israel’s repeated violations of international law and human rights in Gaza.

The former UK government, led by the Conservatives, had considered similar measures. Former Foreign Secretary David Cameron had reportedly prepared a sanctions list before leaving office.

In a reaction on Tuesday, Smotrich responded defiantly. Posting on X, he wrote, “I was attending the inauguration of a new settlement in Hebron when I heard the UK imposed sanctions on me.” He added, “Britain once tried to stop us from settling our homeland. It won’t succeed now. We will keep building.”

Smotrich leads the far-right Religious Zionism party and oversees Israeli civil affairs in the occupied West Bank. He openly supports expanding settlements.

Ben Gvir, who was convicted in 2007 for inciting racism, once kept a photo of Baruch Goldstein — the settler who massacred 29 Palestinians in Hebron in 1994 — in his home.

This shift in UK policy follows a joint statement in May by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. They warned Israel against breaching international law. The statement angered Israeli officials, with Netanyahu accusing the leaders of “encouraging antisemitism.”