A coalition of six countries, including Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Norway, and New Zealand, announced new joint sanctions on Tuesday targeting Israeli settlers and settlements in the West Bank. The measures escalate international pressure on Israel following a surge in violence against Palestinians in the occupied territory.
The top diplomats of these nations issued a joint statement condemning extremist violent settlers who, with government backing, continue to attack Palestinians and abuse their human rights. They noted that for too long, violent settlers have acted with near impunity, and settlement expansion and the creation of outposts have continued with the support and facilitation of the Israeli government.
The sanctions come amid growing criticism across Europe over Israel's prosecution of the war in Gaza and its policies in the occupied West Bank. However, these measures are not as sweeping as those imposed on countries like Iran or Russia, leaving broader trade, including weapons, untouched.
Each country announced its own set of actions. France barred Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country, along with four leaders of settler organizations and 21 settlers accused of violence.
Smotrich, who heads a far-right religious party and has led an aggressive expansion of Israeli settlements, recently ordered the eviction of a Palestinian village in the West Bank. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that Smotrich is actively promoting the annexation of the West Bank, expansion of settlements, re-establishment of settlements in Gaza, and policies aimed at the economic collapse of the Palestinian Authority.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper announced that the U.K. is imposing sanctions on six entities and individuals involved in financing settlements or violent acts.
She told the House of Commons that they have targeted some of the most notorious individuals, significant settler entities, and extremist figures in the Israeli cabinet who incite these acts. Israel's Foreign Ministry condemned the sanctions as "disgraceful measures" that only serve to fuel antisemitism.
Israeli Ambassador to France Joshua Zarka warned that the sanctions might be counterproductive, helping extremists rather than hindering them.
The coordinated plan follows new sanctions from the 27-nation European Union on both Hamas leaders and Israeli settler organizations and leaders. More than 700,000 Israelis live in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories captured by Israel in 1967 from Jordan and sought by Palestinians for a future state.
The international community overwhelmingly considers Israeli settlement construction in these areas illegal and an obstacle to peace.