Israel is against foreign countries imposing sanctions on its officials

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich are facing travel restrictions imposed by the United Kingdom. The UK, along with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway, has banned the two ministers from visiting their countries.

The foreign ministers of the five nations united to release a joint statement explaining the sanctions against Ben-Gvir and Smotrich. They mentioned concerns about the ministers’ involvement in encouraging extremist violence and violating Palestinian human rights.

According to the ministers, Ben-Gvir and Smotrich’s extremist rhetoric, promoting the displacement of Palestinians and the establishment of new Israeli settlements, is deemed unacceptable and poses a threat. Measures have been taken to address these issues and hold the ministers accountable for their actions.

(L to R) Itamar Ben-Gvir, left, and Bezalel Smotrich attend a rally with supporters in the southern Israeli city of Sderot on Oct. 26, 2022. (Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP via Getty Images)

Sa’ar also put out a statement on X criticizing the five nations, particularly the U.K.

“The British Mandate for the land of Israel ended in May 1948. It will never return,” Sa’ar wrote. “The actions and decisions against Israel also contribute to hardening Hamas’ stance in the negotiations for the hostage deal – and distance it and the ceasefire.”

The countries that signed the joint statement have been vocal critics of Israel during its war against Hamas.

In May, Canada, the U.K. and France said in a statement that they “strongly oppose the expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza.” They also said that Israel allowing only “a basic quantity of food into Gaza” was “wholly inadequate.” 

“We will not stand by while the Netanyahu Government pursues these egregious actions. If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response,” the statement from May read.

Israeli military vehicles in Gaza, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Reuters)

In a joint statement on the Australia-New Zealand Foreign and Defense Ministerial Consultations (ANZMIN), the countries called for a ceasefire in Gaza and condemned Israel’s “treatment of U.N. agencies.” Australia and New Zealand defended the controversial United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the statement, saying that “no organization can replace or substitute” its ability to serve the Palestinian population. 

The U.S. stopped funding UNRWA under former President Joe Biden. Under President Donald Trump, the Department of Justice ruled that the agency was no longer immune to lawsuits – a decision that allowed the families of more than 100 victims of the Oct. 7 attacks to sue the agency, demanding $1 billion in damages.