June 10 (UPI) — A group of five foreign ministers announced jointly Tuesday that they will put punitive measures into effect for a pair of Israeli government officials for allegedly provoking violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
The foreign ministers of Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Canada and the United Kingdom said through a press release that Israel’s Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir “have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights.”
“With today’s sanctions, we are sending a clear message that the continued expansion of settlements and acts of extremist settler violence in the West Bank are unacceptable and pose serious obstacles to peace and the realization of a two-state solution,” said Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand in a Canadian version of the release.
“We resolutely stand with the Israeli and Palestinian peoples and their right to live in peace and security, with dignity and without fear,” she added.
“Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous. These actions are not acceptable,” continued the joint statement.
The ministers also pointed at the two for inciting settler violence against Palestinians with “extremist rhetoric” that they purport calls for Palestinians to be pushed out of their homes, and also inspires human rights abuses, and furthermore discards the idea of having two states.
“We are steadfastly committed to the two-state solution, which is the only way to guarantee security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians and ensure long-term stability in the region, but it is imperiled by extremist settler violence and settlement expansion,” the ministers said.
“The measures announced today do not deviate from our unwavering support for Israel’s security,” the ministers added, and they still condemn the attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, but is solely targeted at Smotrich and Ben-Gvir.
“Today’s measures are targeted towards individuals who in our view undermine Israel’s own security and its standing in the world,” the statement continued. “We continue to want a strong friendship with the people of Israel based on our shared ties, values and commitment to their security and future.”
The statement concluded with another reminder, that the ministers also recognize the situation in Gaza, and “continue to be appalled by the immense suffering of civilians, including the denial of essential aid.”
The five ministers concluded with the insistence that Palestinians are not to be removed from two-statehe West Bank, and that they will keep working with Israel to find a ceasefire, to get all hostages home and get humanitarian aid to Gaza, and said “We want to see a reconstructed Gaza no longer run by Hamas and a political pathway to a two state solution.”
Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Saar has since responded to the statement, and said his country’s government will meet next week to discuss a response.
“It is outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these kind of measures,” Mr. Saar said.
