Starmer considering sanctions against Israeli ministers over ‘abhorrent’ comments

The UK government is considering sanctioning two Israeli ministers, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

The prime minister said he was “looking into” penalising Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

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At Prime Minister’s Questions, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey asked if the two Israeli politicians would be sanctioned after Mr Smotrich had claimed “starving two million people in Gaza might be justified”, while Mr Ben-Gvir had “called settlers who killed a 19-year-old on the West Bank heroes”.

Sir Keir answered: “We are looking at that.”

The PM said Mr Smotrich and Mr Ben-Gvir had made “abhorrent” comments about the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

“The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire,” he added.

“The death toll has passed 42,000 and access to basic services is becoming much harder.

“Israel must take all possible steps to avoid civilian casualties, to allow aid into Gaza in much greater volumes, and provide the UN humanitarian partners the ability to operate effectively.”

Former foreign secretary Lord Cameron revealed on Tuesday he had been working on a plan to sanction the Israeli ministers – who he called “extremist” – over their support for blocking aid from entering the Gaza Strip and expanding illegal settlements there and in the West Bank.

Reacting to Sir Keir’s comments, Mr Ben-Gvir told Israeli media that “just as before the establishment of the Jewish state the British worked to make it impossible, now they continue to do so after its establishment in the midst of an existential war”.

He said “the days of the British Mandate” – which saw the UK govern what was then Mandatory Palestine – “are over”.

Mr Ben-Gvir added: “They do not scare me, and I will continue to act in accordance with the supreme national interests of the state of Israel only and for the people of the country.”

The UK government has announced a fresh wave of sanctions in response to violence by “extremist Israeli settlers” in the West Bank.

The measures target three outposts and four organisations that have supported and perpetrated “heinous abuses of human rights” against Palestinian communities in the occupied territory, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said.

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The UK has called an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council as the humanitarian situation in northern Gaza deteriorates.

Mr Lammy said the UK, with France and Algeria, requested the meeting due to the “dire” humanitarian situation in northern Gaza.

He said access to basic services is “worsening” and the UN has reported “barely any food has entered in the last two weeks”.

“Israel must ensure civilians are protected and ensure routes are open to allow life-saving aid through,” the foreign secretary said.

Mr Lammy also reiterated the UK’s “steadfast support for Israel’s security” and called for an immediate ceasefire in the region.

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The US has warned Benjamin Netanyahu’s government more humanitarian aid must enter Gaza in the next 30 days or Israel could lose access to American military financing.

Aid levels must increase to 350 trucks a day and Israel must allow more humanitarian pauses and security for humanitarian sites to continue to qualify for military funding, the US has said.

Just 80 aid trucks have entered northern Gaza since the beginning of October, while 60 trucks a day went through before, UN officials said.