Israeli minister of five countries sanctioned

Great Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway have sanctioned two ultra -right Israeli ministers in the West Bank due to radical statements. Finance Minister Bezhalel Smotrich and Minister of Police Itamar Ben-Gvir “to extremist violence and serious violations of the Palestinian human rights”, the Foreign Minister of the five states said in a joint statement.

The British government explained that the sanctions imposed by Great Britain include an entry ban and the freezing of assets. There is also an entry ban for Norway. The Israeli government reacted to the measures in a statement “outraged”.

Extremistist rhetoric, which supports a forced relocation of Palestinians and the establishment of new Israeli settlements, was “frightening and dangerous,” said the Foreign Minister of the five countries. The measures were mainly decided because of the situation in the West Bank, but were not detached from the “catastrophe” in the Gaza Strip.

Israel announced at the end of May that 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. In 1967 it had conquered the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where today more than 700,000 settlers live in the middle of around three million Palestinians. The Israeli settlements there are illegal under international law.

Ben-Gvir and Smotrich actively support the expansion of Jewish settlements. They also cover the violence of militant settlers against the Palestinian population in West Bank. Violence is fueled by extremist rhetoric, the Foreign Minister of the five countries said. And violence led to the death of Palestinian civilians and to displace entire communities.

Smotrich had also recently threatened with a “total destruction” of the Gaza Strip. Ben-Gvir had strictly spoke out against the resumption of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip according to Israel’s blockade. The five states confirmed that the so -called two -state solution was the only way to ensure security and long -term stability in the region.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that it was “outrageous” that elected representatives and members of the government were exposed to such measures. In the coming week there will be a special meeting of the government in order to develop an answer to the “unacceptable” decision.

Smotrich and Ben-Gvir belong to the right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu-but not his party. Both are representatives of ultra -right parties in the government coalition.