The British government is reviewing its sanctions regime in connection with the Israel-Gaza war, with two Israeli cabinet ministers possibly facing measures.
During an impassioned debate in the House of Commons, in which all major parties condemned Israel’s actions in Lebanon and Gaza, the government was also told to “stop wringing its hands” and work on a ceasefire.
MPs identified far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich as figures whose “inflammatory” language was contributing to violence in the region.
Inflammatory comments
The call for sanctions against Mr Ben-Gvir and Mr Smotrich was put forward by Liberal Democrat MP Calum Miller, a former civil servant at the Foreign Office and currently his party's foreign affairs spokesman.
Addressing Development Minister Anneliese Dodds, Mr Miller asked: “Does the minister agree that now is the time to use our sanctions regime against the extremist ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich?”
Ms Dodds agreed that the Israeli ministers had made “inflammatory” comments and “remarks which are appallingly discriminatory”. The British government “wholeheartedly” condemns the language both politicians have used, she added.
“The UK will always keep our sanctions regime closely under review, as he would expect, and we will announce any changes to the House.”
Former British prime minister David Cameron previously said he had considered introducing sanctions against the two earlier this year, when he was foreign secretary, to put “pressure on [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu” to act within international law.
“When you look at what they say, like encouraging people to stop aid convoys going into Gaza, they have encouraged extreme settlers in the West Bank with the appalling things they have been carrying out,” Lord Cameron told the BBC.
He urged the government to “look again at this sanctions issue”, and said the reason why he had not introduced measures himself was because it would have appeared “too much of a political act” during the July general election.
Illegal settlers sanctioned
Downing Street was also drawn into the debate, with a spokesman for Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying he could not get into “any commentary around future sanctions designations”.
However, hours later, the Foreign Office announced sanctions against three illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, along with four organisations found to have “supported, incited and promoted violence against Palestinian communities” in the territory.
The settlements in question were identified as Tirzah Valley Farm, Meitarim and Shuvi Eretz, and the organisations are Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva, Hashomer Yosh, Torat Lechima and Amana.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy called on the Israeli government to “crack down on settler violence and stop the legalisation of settler outposts”.
Gaza massacres
Former education secretary Kit Malthouse called on the government to “stop wringing its hands” and take “positive, active steps” to enforce international law in relation to Israel.
“Even if you care little for the tens of thousands of dead Arabs, and the millions displaced. Even if you couldn’t give a damn for the children shot in the head, or the burning hospital inmates in northern Gaza, if your only concern is the security of Israel, can the minister see any argument to say that yet another massacre of Gazans will enhance that security in the future?” Mr Malthouse asked, also addressing Ms Dodds.
Another MP said images of a recent Israeli air strike on Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al Balah, which caused a fire to tear through tents where displaced Palestinians had taken refuge, would be “the abiding image” of the war.
The government, Ms Dodds said, has always supported international humanitarian law, and is “gravely concerned” by the situation in Gaza, as well as that in Lebanon, which is “worsening by the day”.
She warned that, with winter approaching, Gazans – who are already living under “intolerable” conditions – will become “increasingly vulnerable” as temperatures drop.
“All of Gaza’s population now faces the risk of famine,” she added.
