Latest news with #Starmer'sWall
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
UK and others sanction two far-right Israeli Cabinet ministers for ‘inciting extremist violence'
They could now face asset freezes and travel bans. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the five countries said Ben-Gvir and 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.' UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the two men 'have been inciting violence against Palestinian people for months and months and months' and 'encouraging egregious abuses of human rights.' Advertisement 'These measures are directed at individuals who directly contribute to extremist settler violence,' said Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand. 'The measures are not directed against the state of Israel itself.' Smotrich wrote on social media that he learned of the sanctions while he was inaugurating a new West Bank settlement. 'We are determined to continue building,' he said. Advertisement Ben-Gvir, also writing on social media, said 'we overcame Pharoah, we'll overcome Starmer's Wall,' referring to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Israel's government condemned the announcement, which came as traditional allies of Israel escalate denouncements of Israel's actions in Gaza, from the high civilian death toll to a months-long blockade that led to famine warnings. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the sanctions decision 'outrageous.' He said he had discussed it with Netanyahu and they would meet next week to discuss Israel's response. He said that the move threatened to harden Hamas' stance in ongoing negotiations to end the war in Gaza and to cut short Israel's operation in Gaza before it achieves its goals. Benny Gantz, a centrist Israeli lawmaker and political rival to Netanyahu, wrote he 'vehemently' disagreed with Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, but said the move was 'profound moral mistake and sends a dangerous message to terrorists around the world.' Netanyahu is the target of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court last year over alleged war crimes in Gaza, part of a global wave of outrage at Israel's conduct during its 20-month war against Hamas. Netanyahu has denied the allegations and accused the court of being biased against Israel. The Biden administration took the rare step of sanctioning radical Israeli settlers implicated in violence in the occupied West Bank — sanctions that were lifted by President Trump. Eitay Mack, an Israeli human rights lawyer who spent years campaigning for the sanctions on Smotrich and Ben-Gvir — along with violent West Bank settlers — described Tuesday's move as 'historic.' 'It means the wall of immunity that Israeli politicians had has been broken,' he said. 'It's unbelievable that it took so long for Western governments to sanction Israeli politicians, and the fact that it's being done while Trump is president is quite amazing.' Advertisement Mack added: 'It is a message to Netanyahu himself that he could be next.' Israel captured the West Bank, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three territories for a future state. Successive Israeli governments have promoted settlement growth and construction stretching back decades. It has exploded under Netanyahu's far-right coalition, which has settlers in key Cabinet posts. There are now well over 100 settlements across the West Bank that house more than 500,000 settlers. The settlers have Israeli citizenship, while the territory's 3 million Palestinians live under Israeli military rule, with the Palestinian Authority administering population centers. Most of the international community considers the settlements illegal, and Palestinians see them as the greatest obstacle to an eventual two-state solution, which is still seen internationally as the only way to resolve the conflict.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
What triggered sanctions on Israel's far-right ministers by UK, Canada & others — and what it means for Netanyahu's government
Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway on Tuesday imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, accusing them of inciting extremist violence and enabling human rights abuses against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The coordinated move by five Western nations traditionally supportive of Israel marked a strong condemnation of Israel's settlement expansion and a rare diplomatic rebuke of top Israeli officials. The sanctions, which include travel bans and asset freezes, come amid heightened violence in the West Bank following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and the subsequent Gaza war. In a joint statement, the countries' foreign ministers said Ben-Gvir and 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.' UK foreign secretary David Lammy said the two ministers had been 'inciting violence against Palestinian people for months and months and months" and 'encouraging egregious abuses of human rights.' Both men are key figures in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pinga-Pinga e HBP? Tome isso 1x ao dia se tem mais de 40 anos Portal Saúde do Homem Clique aqui Undo Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, responded defiantly, writing on social media: 'We overcame Pharaoh, we'll overcome Starmer's Wall,' referring to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Smotrich, the finance minister, learned of the sanctions while inaugurating a new West Bank settlement and said, 'We are determined to continue building. ' Israel's foreign minister Gideon Saar labelled the sanctions 'outrageous' and said he would consult with Netanyahu to coordinate a response. The move reflects increasing global frustration with Israel's conduct in the occupied territories. Netanyahu himself is the subject of an ICC arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Gaza — allegations he has denied, accusing the court of bias. The Biden administration had earlier imposed sanctions on violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank, a policy that was reversed during Donald Trump's presidency. Israeli human rights lawyer Eitay Mack, who has long campaigned for action against Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, called the sanctions 'historic,' saying they 'break the wall of immunity Israeli politicians have enjoyed.' He added, 'It is a message to Netanyahu himself that he could be next.' Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem during the 1967 war. Today, over 500,000 settlers live in the West Bank in communities deemed illegal by most of the international community, while around 3 million Palestinians live under Israeli military control. Palestinians and many world leaders view settlement expansion as a central obstacle to a two-state solution.
