In a move that signals the UK’s increasing concern over violence in the occupied West Bank, the UK Foreign Office has imposed sanctions on seven organizations linked to illegal Israeli settlers.
The sanctions, announced earlier this week, come amid rising international criticism over Israel’s handling of settler activity. However, the UK government refrained from sanctioning two far-right Israeli ministers despite earlier plans by former foreign secretary David Cameron.
Cameron revealed in an interview that he had intended to impose sanctions on Israel’s finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, and national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, but was advised against it during the spring general election, as it was seen as politically sensitive.
He expressed concern that the current Labour government had not taken up his proposal to hold the two ministers accountable for their inflammatory rhetoric and encouragement of settler violence.
The UK’s Foreign Office clarified that the sanctions announced this week were not a reaction to Cameron’s comments but had been in preparation for some time. The focus is on three illegal settler outposts — Tirzah Valley Farm, Meitarim, and Shuvi Eretz — along with four organizations accused of “supporting and sponsoring violence against communities in the West Bank.”
According to the United Nations, settler violence has surged to unprecedented levels, with over 1,400 attacks on Palestinians recorded since October 2023.
Sanctions Against Settler Organizations
Foreign Secretary David Lammy underscored the situation’s urgency, recounting his visit to the West Bank earlier this year. “I met Palestinians whose communities have suffered horrific violence at the hands of Israeli settlers,” Lammy said, emphasizing that Israel’s inaction has created “an environment of impunity” for such violence to escalate unchecked.
He vowed that further asset freezes would target those responsible for “heinous abuses of human rights.”
The organizations now facing UK sanctions include Amana, a group central to the Israeli settler movement and already sanctioned by Canada. Through its subsidiary, Binyanei Bar Amana, the organization has played a significant role in establishing unauthorized outposts. With a long-term goal of bringing 1 million settlers to the West Bank, Amana’s influence has been deeply felt in the ongoing territorial disputes.
Calls for Stronger Measures Amid International Tensions
The announcement of these sanctions follows a heated session in the UK House of Commons, where Development Minister Anneliese Dodds faced criticism from members of her own party, urging the government to take a tougher stance against Israel’s violations of international law.
Although the new sanctions target settler organizations, many MPs remain frustrated that the Labour government stopped short of imposing penalties on Israeli officials directly involved in the violence.
In a separate interview, Cameron argued that the UK must pressure Israel’s leadership, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to distance themselves from extremists within the government. “Smotrich and Gvir had said things like encouraging people to stop aid convoys getting into Gaza and encouraging extreme settlers in the West Bank with the appalling things they have been carrying out,” Cameron explained, calling for a tougher stance against these individuals.
He criticized the Labour government’s partial ban on arms sales to Israel, noting that it made little sense at a time when Israel faced significant external threats from Iran. While defending Israel’s right to self-defense, Cameron urged pressure on Netanyahu to ensure Israel operates within the bounds of international law. He added, “We do want to see aid get through to Gaza, and we do want the role of the UN in Lebanon to be respected.”
Moreover, Cameron defended Israel’s right to defend itself against threats from groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, stressing that the conflict should end in a way that prevents future outbreaks of violence. He also made clear that support for Israel should not be unconditional, particularly when it comes to respecting international law and humanitarian principles.
The Labour government’s decision to impose new sanctions while refraining from penalizing high-profile Israeli ministers highlights the delicate balance the UK must navigate in addressing settler violence while maintaining diplomatic relations with Israel.
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