The UK has sanctioned two Israeli government ministers for “inciting violence” and abuses of Palestinian human rights, David Lammy has said.
Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s security minister and finance minister respectively, will be subject to a travel ban and asset freeze.
The UK is taking the action to ramp up pressure on Israel alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway.
Mr Lammy said the two Israeli ministers had been “inciting violence against Palestinian people for months and months and months, they have been encouraging egregious abuses of human rights”.
In a joint statement with foreign ministers from those countries, the Foreign Secretary said the two senior Israelis had also incited “serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”.
The statement added: “These actions are not acceptable. This is why we have taken action now – to hold those responsible to account.”
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