US criticises UK decision to sanction two Israeli ministers
The US has condemned the UK's decision to sanction two Israeli ministers over 'egregious abuses' of human rights in Gaza.
Donald Trump's secretary of state Marco Rubio said that the travel ban and asset freeze imposed on Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich 'do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire' and called for the measures to be reversed.
The UK is taking the action alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway. Mr Rubio said that the US 'stands shoulder-to-shoulder' with Israel.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on Tuesday that the ministers had been 'inciting violence against Palestinian people for months and months and months, they have been encouraging egregious abuses of human rights'.
In a post on X, Mr Rubio said that the 'United States condemns the sanctions imposed by the governments of United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, New Zealand, and Australia on two sitting members of the Israeli cabinet. These sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war.'
The United States condemns the sanctions imposed by the governments of United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, New Zealand, and Australia on two sitting members of the Israeli cabinet. These sanctions do not advance U.S.-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) June 10, 2025
He went on to say that America reminds 'our partners not to forget who the real enemy is'.
'The United States urges the reversal of the sanctions and stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel.'
The sanctions against Israel's security and finance ministers were announced on Tuesday. Mr Smotrich and Mr Ben-Gvir both belong to right-wing parties which help to prop up Benjamin Netanyahu's fragile coalition government, and both have been criticised for their hardline stance on Gaza.
Mr Smotrich has campaigned against allowing aid into Gaza, and also supported the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law.
Meanwhile, Mr Ben-Gvir has called for Gaza's people to be resettled from the territory.
In a joint statement with the foreign ministers of the other nations who also imposed sanctions, Mr Lammy said that the two sanctioned ministers had incited 'serious abuses of Palestinian human rights' and described their actions as 'not acceptable'.
The statement added: 'We will strive to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of the remaining hostages by Hamas which can have no future role in the governance of Gaza, a surge in aid and a path to a two-state solution.'
Downing Street said that the two men had been sanctioned in their 'personal capacities' and not 'their ministries and departments'.
'As the Israeli ambassador to the UK has said in recent interviews, their statements in their ministerial capacities do not even represent government policy,' a Number 10 spokesman said.
The UK and other allies have upped pressure on Israel in recent weeks, amid aid shortages in Gaza and suggestions a large-scale offensive could be launched into the territory.
It has been reported that only scarce amounts of aid is making it into the hands of people, and the slow flow of food and medicines has prompted warnings of famine and starvation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Rogue state Iran plans terrifying response to Israel blitz from immediate counterstrikes to secret NUKE as tensions boil
IRAN could be spurred on to rush the creation of a nuclear weapon if Israel unleashes an attack, an ex-military intelligence agent warns. Israel's top brass are understood to be poised to blitz the rogue nation within days without the backing of the US. Advertisement 7 A missile launches from an undisclosed location in Iran Credit: EPA 7 Satellite picture shows Iran's nuclear site in Isfahan, Iran, in April 2024 Credit: AP 7 It comes as Donald Trump's 60-day deadline to thrash out a deal with Tehran over its nuclear programme last night expired. Senior military and political sources in Tel Aviv told The Sun back in April how Israel was plotting to strike Iran's nuke sites within weeks. A senior diplomatic insider, speaking in Jerusalem, said Tehran's nuclear programme should have been dealt with "a long time ago". Israel hoped to coordinate an attack with the US, but Benjamin Netanyahu's ex-advisor last week told The Sun how the prime minister was mapping out a plan to bomb Iran without Trump. Advertisement And now US officials have been warned Israel is ready to unleash strikes on the rogue nation, sources have revealed. In a telling sign, the US has scaled down its presence in the Middle East and removed non-essential staff from its embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. Trump alluded to potential conflict last night as he said: "They are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place and we'll see what happens. "They can't have a nuclear weapon, very simple, they can't have a nuclear weapon, we're not going to allow that." Advertisement Netanyahu has been making preparations behind the scenes to swiftly blitz Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities as he deems the country "enemy number one". Trump, however, had firmly insisted Israel take no action that could jeopardise his administration's efforts to thrash out a deal with Iran. Israel MUST defy Trump and strike weakened Iran to neutralise nuclear threat But Netanyahu appears on the brink of giving the green light to strike as a sixth round of talks tentatively set for Sunday in Oman looms. Iran's furious Revolutionary Guard commander vowed Tehran would respond in a "more forceful and destructive way" to Israel than in past offensives. Advertisement It comes as the UN nuclear watchdog found Iran is not complying with its nuke obligations amid alarming reports that the Islamist state has stepped up secret plans to build nuclear weapons Raz Zimmt, who spent more than two decades in the IDF's military intelligence, said Iran is likely to immediately retaliate with a huge missile blitz if Israel launches missiles as its turf. But the veteran Iran-watcher warned it could spur Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to continue his warped nuke scheme with no oversight - or even break out a nuclear weapon. He told The Sun: "We have to make a distinction between two concerning scenarios in the day after an attack whether it's an Israeli or an American attack. Advertisement "The immediate retaliation would probably be the launching of long-range missiles from Iran against Israel if that's an Israeli attack. "I assume that if it's just an Israeli attack Iran will not take the risk of engaging the United States into a military confrontation with Iran by targeting US forces or US bases in the region. Iran's breaching nuclear rules IRAN has been declared as in breach of its nuclear rules for the first time in two decades. The UN's atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, passed a resolution on Wednesday condemning Tehran's "lack of co-operation". It is the culmination of several stand-offs between the Vienna-based IAEA and Iran since Trump pulled the US out of a nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers in 2018 during his first term, after which that accord unravelled. Tehran said it "has no choice but to respond to this political resolution", and said it would launch a new enrichment site "in a secure location". The state said: "Other measures are also being planned and will be announced subsequently." An IAEA official said Iran had given no further details such as the location of the site. It comes as US and Iranian officials are due to hold a sixth round of talks on Tehran's accelerating uranium enrichment programme in Oman on Sunday. The Trump administration has been trying to secure a deal with Tehran aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear programme. Donald Trump is said to be in advanced talks with Iran over a preliminary agreement that could include provisions on uranium enrichment - terms Israel finds unacceptable. "In that case, we'll probably see more or less what we saw in early October. "Perhaps more than that Iran is still equipped with thousands of ballistic missiles it can use against Israel. Advertisement "Those can certainly inflict significant damage to Israel but this is only the immediate kind of retaliation. Israel of course can try to defend itself. "Israel can carry out strikes which could in a way limit the missiles capabilities in Iran." An Iron Dome operator previously told The Sun how the IDF was ready for any possible air assault from Iran. Tsgt Y said: "Fearful [of an attack from Iran]? No. We're prepared for anything that might come." Advertisement Dr Zimmt warned Israel blitzing Iran could spark weeks of military confrontation between the two nations. But he argued it could prompt a far more sinister outcome. Insiders say Iran right now has the capacity to create three to five nuclear bombs - but does not have the ability to make them explode. 7 Iran launched projectiles at Israel before being intercepted by the Iron Dome in the sky above Jerusalem in October 2024 Credit: Alamy Advertisement 7 Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei pictured last week Credit: Getty 7 "[It is possible] after an Israeli strike Iran will try to take the remnants of what is being left of its nuclear capabilities, the fissile material, the centrifuges, what will be left out of the two main enrichment facilities and try to reconstitute its nuclear programme this time without any IEA inspections," Dr Zimmt said. "And so Iran can certainly use this opportunity to make a decision to break out a weapon which will require continuous efforts by both the United States and Israel to avoid that scenario. Advertisement "So the immediate retaliation would probably be some kind of missile attack against Israel if it's only Israel. "The second kind of retaliation would be concerning Iran's efforts to rehabilitate its nuclear program and perhaps also breaking out weapons." A French government insider close to Israel said it will be imperative other countries form a deterrence coalition if Israel strikes to fend off retaliation from Iran. The source, speaking to The Sun in Paris, warned Iran "know how to fight" and are "used to long wars". Advertisement "You must have a kind of coalition against the reaction of Iran," they said. "And you have seen this small coalition immediately before, US, UK and France, and some Arab countries. "But somebody like Trump would not support that, I mean an attack from Iran. "So it must be a kind of deterrence, saying to Iran, OK, you have this strike from Israel, but you can't reply, because we are there now. So if you reply, this is an attack against us. Advertisement "That's deterrence. "If Iran tries to strike back, you will see immediately a kind of coalition against Iran. "And you will have a huge, huge political issue, because the best ally of Israel, the United States, the best ally of Iran is Russia. "So if you have a strike between Israel and Iran, the problem is between the United States and Russia." Advertisement IDF sources, speaking to The Sun at a base in Israel in April, revealed the military had been working for months to clear the path for a major strike on Iran. Three air campaigns eliminated strategic aerial defences which were 'the main obstacle' protecting Iran's nuke facilities, the insider confirmed. Vitally, this would allow Israeli aircraft to get to Iran's borders with diminished fear of being blasted. Iran's secret nuke site 'Rainbow' Exclusive by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital) CHILLING satellite pictures reveal Iran's sprawling secret nuclear site codenamed "Rainbow". Sources in the country have uncovered how the base is being used to develop nuclear-capable missiles with a 2,000-mile range - able to strike US bases in the Middle East. Tehran's tyrannical regime is using oil and chemical facilities as a cover for nuclear bases, bombshell docs shared with The Sun by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) reveal. Haunting aerial images expose a network of clandestine sites - including "Rainbow" - used by iron-fist leaders to create terrifying nuclear weapons. A powerful nuclear blast from Iran could have disastrous consequences for the Middle East - and beyond - thanks to the capability of the warheads. Now sources inside Iran have revealed the regime's nuclear weaponisation entity, Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research's (SPND) secret project to accelerate nuclear ability. Hidden under the guise of a chemical production facility, the crowning jewel of the operation is a base known internally as the 'Rangin Kaman (Rainbow) Site". It is some distance from Iran's already known nuke bases, and is masked as a chemical production company known as Diba Energy Siba. READ MORE HERE 7
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Airbnb faces legal action over listings in illegal Israeli settlements
The three groups – Global Legal Action Network (Glan), Sadaka and Al-Haq – have launched the co-ordinated action against Airbnb's Irish and UK subsidiaries, as well as its US parent company. Glan and Al-Haq filed a criminal complaint with the UK's National Crime Agency over the company's UK subsidary, accusing Airbnb of alleged money laundering in connection with its collection of payments for accommodation in the Israeli settlements. READ MORE: UK Government accused of 'actively participating in genocide' by training IDF In the US, an attorney for Glan has sent a "preservation letter" to Airbnb's parent company, instructing it to preserve documents relevant to Airbnb's involvement in the settlements. The move could support action being taken in the UK, and in Ireland by Sadaka, which is challenging a decision taken by Irish police not to investigate Airbnb Ireland and its senior executives for what it says is alleged criminal involvement in Israeli settlements. According to an investigation by the Guardian earlier this year, there are more than 300 accommodations listed in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, with a third of all Airbnbs in the West Bank located in settlements. Airbnb is also listed on the United Nations' Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) database of businesses involved in activities in Israeli settlements in the OPT. In July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory is illegal, and that all states must prevent trade or investment that support the occupation. An Airbnb spokesperson told The National that the company operates "in compliance with applicable laws in Ireland, the UK and the US". They added: "Since 2019, Airbnb has donated all profits generated from host activity in the West Bank to an international nonprofit, in line with our global framework on disputed territories." READ MORE: Convoy of 1500 arrives in Libya en route to Gaza to break Israel's blockade on aid The company's response was criticised by Ashish Prashar, a former advisor to the Middle East Peace Envoy now working as a special adviser to Glan on Palestine. Prashar condemned Airbnb's use of the words "disputed territories" when discussing Israeli settlements, saying it "undermines Palestinian sovereignty and reinforces the Israeli occupation of the land". He told The National: "It actively supports the cruel domination of the Palestinian people, which is a clear breach of international law." Prashar said that the groups believe they will be successful, adding: "It's a very strong case which could set a precedent with major global consequences for businesses with direct and indirect ties to Israeli settlements. "It could lead to a full BDS [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions] moment where it's safer for companies who don't want to be charged with war crimes or executives charged with war crimes, to actually withdraw, not just from the Occupied Territories or from Israel, but from doing any business with Israel because it could be illegal in any possible way." READ MORE: 'Absurdity' of UK position on Israel while still supplying arms called out by SNP MP Glan senior laywer, Gerry Liston, commented: 'These are the first ever cases to apply anti-money laundering legislation to business activity in the illegal Israeli settlements. "They demonstrate that individual senior executives of companies profiting from Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory face a personal risk of prosecution for a very serious criminal offence.' Shawan Jabarin, general director of Al-Haq, said: "At a time when we are witnessing genocide in Palestine, businesses like Airbnb are providing services that deny the Palestinian people their means of subsistence, threatening the viability of the group. "Following the finding by the International Court of Justice, that Israel's occupation is illegal, business activities trading in goods and services that maintain the illegal occupation, must come to an end – i.e., those located in the OPT, including the settlements, and in Israel. "It is time to end Israel's impunity and take action.'
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Peaceful protest announced for Katie Hopkins Edinburgh gig
Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) Edinburgh have invited those who wish to join their peaceful protest 'against the airing of obnoxious views' to attend the BMC Social Club in the capital, where Hopkins is set to perform a comedy gig on June 19. Hopkins, a former columnist for the Mail Online, The Sun and Canadian far-right website The Rebel Media, has garnered continued criticism for her extremist views on the disabled, migrants and Muslims since her appearance on The Apprentice in 2005. READ MORE: Refugee festival exhibition showcases work by displaced artists Q Manivannan, the Scottish Greens candidate for the upcoming Fountainbridge-Craiglockhart byelection, said: 'Our country is built upon care, hospitality, and tolerance. Not the hate that Katie Hopkins brings, mocking disabled people, calling for a racist 'final solution', and fat-shaming. 'Her hate is recognised worldwide with her readers in Exeter voting to dump her, the likes of Piers Morgan calling her 'despicable', being held guilty of libel in a court of law, being deported from Australia, and impressing the world with her life of distrust. 'Scotland rejects such hate and racism. It has no room in our local communities." READ MORE: UK 'currently' training Israeli soldiers on UK soil, Labour Government admits Steve West, an independent socialist candidate for the byelection, added: "I share Stand Up To Racism's disgust that the BMC Club is hosting the racist, so-called comedian Katie Hopkins, who has also insulted disabled people. 'The club needs to be given a clear message that this is unacceptable. Edinburgh has a proud record of inclusivity and we need to keep it that way." SUTR recently held a successful counter-demo to the 'Great British National Strike' and have garnered the support of major trade union organisations, as well as several Scottish public figures like Frankie Boyle, Humza Yousaf and Aamer Anwar.
