Israel says it has been informed that the United Kingdom will sanction two of its Cabinet ministers.
Two far-right Israeli ministers and champions of Israeli settlements, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, acknowledged the sanctions on social media, and Smotrich confirmed he was the target in his post.
Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel National Security Minister said on Tuesday that as "we have overcome Pharoah and we'll overcome this as well."
Smotrich, the country’s finance minister, wrote on X that he found out that Britain had decided to sanction him for obstructing the viability of a Palestinian state.
“We are determined to continue building,” he said.
The Speaker of the House of Commons said the British government will make a statement on the Middle East later Tuesday.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that the UK had told Israel it had decided to sanction two Israeli ministers and called the move “outrageous.”
He said he had discussed the move with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and they would meet next week to discuss the Israeli response.
Saar did not provide their names in public remarks on Tuesday when he confirmed the news.
Later on Tuesday, Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway announced they have imposed sanctions on the two far-right Israeli government ministers for allegedly “inciting extremist violence” against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich face asset freezes and travel bans from the five countries.
The five countries’ foreign ministers said in a joint statement Tuesday that Ben-Gvir and Smotrich “have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous.”
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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by HOOK Desk and is published from a syndicated feed AP.)
