Furious Israeli foreign minister condemns ‘unacceptable’ British move targeting far-right ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich over Gaza war conduct
Britain has imposed unprecedented sanctions on two of Israel’s most controversial ministers in a dramatic escalation of tensions between London and Jerusalem, sparking immediate fury from Israeli officials who branded the move “outrageous” and vowed swift retaliation.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned the “outrageous” decision in a fiery statement on Tuesday, confirming he had urgently discussed the bombshell sanctions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day.
“We will hold a special government meeting early next week to decide on our response to this unacceptable decision,” Sa’ar declared, signaling Israel’s determination to strike back at what it sees as British betrayal.
The sanctioned ministers, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir – a West Bank settler – and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, will face asset freezes and travel bans alongside other international allies including Canada, Australia, New Zealand.
‘ABHORRENT’ COMMENTS TRIGGER ACTION
The explosive sanctions come after months of mounting pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government to take action against the far-right ministers over their inflammatory rhetoric about Palestinians.
Starmer had previously told Parliament in October that Smotrich’s comments that starving civilians in Gaza might be justified and Ben Gvir’s remarks that perpetrators of settler violence in the West Bank were heroes were “obviously abhorrent comments.
The Prime Minister confirmed at the time that “We are looking at that” when pressed about potential sanctions by Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey during Prime Minister’s Questions.
DEFIANT MINISTERS SLAM ‘BRITISH COLONIALISM’
Both sanctioned ministers responded with characteristic defiance, accusing Britain of colonial-era mentality and vowing they would not be intimidated.
The British need to know the days of their mandate are over,” Ben-Gvir thundered. In any case, they do not scare me, and I will continue to only act according to the important national interests of the State of Israel.
In a particularly pointed jab at British history, Ben-Gvir ended his statement by expressing contempt for the 1939 White Paper, the controversial British policy that limited Jewish immigration to Mandatory Palestine.
Smotrich echoed the colonial theme, declaring that “the British mandate and the White Paper are no longer relevant, and yet… the one-sidedness and hypocrisy remained the same one-sidedness and hypocrisy.”
CAMERON’S SECRET PLAN REVEALED
In a stunning revelation, former Foreign Secretary David Cameron admitted he had been preparing identical sanctions before losing power in July’s election.
Cameron told the BBC on Tuesday that he had planned to sanction Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, calling them “extremists” and saying the sanctions would have sent “a good message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The former PM revealed the sanctions were planned because of statements made by Smotrich and Ben-Gvir encouraging people to block the entry of aid into Gaza and settler violence.
However, Cameron claimed he was advised it would have been “too much of a political act” to impose them during the election period.
INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE MOUNTS
Britain’s move comes as European countries have been ramping up the pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to end the blockade on aid into Gaza.
The sanctions follow a dramatic escalation in rhetoric from Western allies, with the leaders of Britain, Canada and France threatening “concrete actions” against Israel over its Gaza offensive just weeks ago.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy had previously branded comments by Smotrich about relocating Gazans as “extremism”, declaring: “It is dangerous. It is repellent. It is monstrous.”
CONTROVERSIAL TRACK RECORD
The two ministers have long been lightning rods for international criticism over their hardline positions on Palestinians and Gaza.
Ben-Gvir recently sparked outrage by claiming that allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza was “a grave mistake that delays our victory.
Meanwhile, Smotrich has faced condemnation for suggesting that starving two million people in Gaza might be justified and moral.
Both ministers are vocal supporters of Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, which is considered illegal under international law.
DIPLOMATIC CRISIS DEEPENS
The sanctions mark a new low in UK-Israel relations under Starmer’s Labour government, which has taken a “slightly tougher line on Israel” than its Conservative predecessors.
Britain has already limited some arms export licenses to Israel and previously suspended free trade talks, with Lammy declaring it was “not possible to advance discussions on a new, upgraded Free Trade Agreement with a Netanyahu government that is pursuing egregious policies in the West Bank and Gaza.
The UK is not alone in considering action – EU Foreign Affairs Chief Josep Borrell urged member states to consider such a move about two months ago, though unanimous EU support remains unlikely due to expected opposition from Hungary.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
With Sa’ar promising a special government meeting to formulate Israel’s response, the diplomatic crisis shows no signs of abating.
The sanctions expose a growing rift between Israel’s far-right government and its traditional Western allies, with even staunch supporters increasingly uncomfortable with the inflammatory rhetoric emerging from Jerusalem.
As one British government source noted, the measures demonstrate the UK’s “determination to hold extremist settlers to account” – a message that will resonate far beyond the two ministers now facing international pariah status.
The question now is whether Netanyahu’s promised retaliation will further isolate Israel on the world stage, or force a recalculation in London about the wisdom of sanctioning serving ministers of a key Middle Eastern ally.
