Canada, alongside four other countries, is formally sanctioning two Israeli ministers for comments they say are “incitements of violence against Palestinian communities.”
The sanctions were announced by the foreign ministers of Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Norway on Tuesday in a joint statement.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich will both see their assets frozen and face travel bans.
Both men face sanctions for being “responsible for, engaging in, inciting, promoting and/or supporting activity which amounts to a serious abuse of the right of individuals not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, in particular acts of aggression and violence against Palestinian individuals in the West Bank.”
“Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights,” the joint statement, provided by Global Affairs Canada, states.
“These actions are not acceptable. This is why we have taken action now – to hold those responsible to account.”
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British Foreign Minister David Lammy has previously condemned comments by Smotrich on the possible cleansing and destruction of Gaza and relocation of its residents to third countries.
He described the comments as “extremism,” while also calling it “dangerous” and “monstrous.”
Both Israeli ministers have clashed multiple times with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, both calling for the permanent conquest of Gaza and re-establishment of Jewish settlements there, which Israel abandoned in 2005.
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