Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and UK Sanction Israeli Extremist Ministers Smotrich & Ben Gvir
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the two Israeli extremist ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, stressing, in a joint statement, that two Zionist politicians have incited violence against the Palestinians in the West Bank.
Settler violence is incited by extremist rhetoric which calls for Palestinians to be driven from their homes, encourages violence and human rights abuses and fundamentally rejects the two-state solution. Settler violence has led to the deaths of Palestinian civilians and the displacement of whole communities, the statement read.
We are steadfastly committed to the two-state solution which is the only way to guarantee security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians and ensure long term stability in the region, but it is imperiled by extremist settler violence and settlement expansion, the statement added.
'Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous. 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 Israeli Government must uphold its obligations under international law and we call on it to take meaningful action to end extremist, violent and expansionist rhetoric.'
'Today's measures focus on the West Bank, but of course this cannot be seen in isolation from the catastrophe in Gaza. We continue to be appalled by the immense suffering of civilians, including the denial of essential aid. There must be no unlawful transfer of Palestinians from Gaza or within the West Bank, nor any reduction in the territory of the Gaza Strip.'
The Israeli occupation army intensified its military offensive in occupied Palestine's West Bank early Tuesday, launching a large-scale raid on the Old City of Nablus.
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