Five nations, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway, have sanctioned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, accusing them of inciting extremist violence against Palestinians and promoting settlements. The foreign ministers of these countries issued a joint statement on their decision, stating that the officials’ actions stem from issues in the West Bank but cannot be viewed in isolation from the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The joint statement highlighted that Ben-Gvir and Smot, who have been vocal critics of Palestinian rights, have incited extreme violence and advocated for the forced displacement of Palestinians. The statement condemned their rhetoric as both dangerous and inappropriate. In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called the decision