Australia slaps sanctions on two senior Israeli ministers
Australia has joined Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the UK in a major move against Israel.
n an overnight joint statement announcing travel bans and financial blocks, the Western countries’ foreign ministers said Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich had fuelled settler violence through “extreme rhetoric” and undermined efforts for a two-state solution.
“Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights,” the statement said.
“Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous.
“These actions are not acceptable.
“We have engaged the Israeli government on this issue extensively, yet violent perpetrators continue to act with encouragement and impunity.”
The foreign ministers called on the Israeli government to “uphold its obligations under international law and we call on it to take meaningful action to end extremist, violent and expansionist rhetoric”.
The sanctions took effect on Wednesday and came after the Israeli government announced last month it would build nearly two dozen new settlements in the West Bank along a key highway connecting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
https://www.news.com.au/world/middle-east/australia-slaps-sanctions-on-two-senior-israeli-ministers/news-story/4c0e3f2cdf805cdfa395ef418173c057