Australia has joined the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Norway in placing financial sanctions and travel bans on two Israeli government ministers, over what Penny Wong described as “inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank”.
The Magnitsky-style sanctions on Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and the finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, were in response to serious human rights violations and abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank, including Israeli settlements considered illegal under international law, the governments said in a joint statement.
Israel’s foreign minister has branded the move “outrageous”, and the US has condemned the sanctions, but the prime minister Anthony Albanese stood by Australia’s actions and said Israel must comply with international law.
Wong said settler violence in the West Bank undermined prospects of reaching a two-state solution and peace in the Middle East, and again demanded humanitarian aid be allowed to flow unimpeded into Gaza – decrying what she called a “horrific” humanitarian situation for Palestinians in the besieged territory.
“These two ministers are the most extreme proponents of the unlawful and violent Israeli settlement enterprise,” Australia’s foreign affairs minister told ABC Radio National.
“Along with the United Kingdom, with Canada, with New Zealand and Norway, we have determined that it is important together to send a very clear message that these activities and the the impingement on the rights and human rights of Palestinians in the West Bank are not acceptable.”
The men were sanctioned in relation to a range of public comments and actions, including marching through Jerusalem’s Muslim Quarter with a group that chanted “death to Arabs” and “may your village burn”. Ben-Gvir last month said Israel would “occupy the entire territory of the Gaza Strip” and encourage migration of Gazans elsewhere, while Smotrich in February said “‘With God’s help we will work to permanently bury the dangerous idea of a Palestinian State”.
The sanctions make it an offence to make assets available to a sanctioned person, require the freezing of any assets in Australia, and prevent them from entering Australia.
Wong said the actions of the two ministers “go against the notion of a two-state solution.” While the sanctions focus on actions in the West Bank, she also spoke at length in a press conference about Israel’s actions in Gaza, condemning the blockade of much international aid to Palestinians.
“I’m sending a message from the Australian government, alongside the overwhelming majority of the international community, that you are obliged to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza for civilians. That is an expression of international law and obligations on that international community,” she said.
On ABC radio, Albanese backed in the sanctions, calling complaints against them “predictable”.
“We’ve continued to declare that Israel has a right to live within secure borders, but we’ve also declared that Israel must comply with international concerns and international law,” he said.
Greens senator and foreign affairs spokesperson, David Shoebridge, said the sanctions were “extremely late but welcome”, and called on the government to lay further sanctions in a bid to halt conflict in Gaza.
Coalition frontbencher Dan Tehan told Radio National that the opposition was seeking information from the government about the decision to lay sanctions, and noted statements from the United States that the action was not helpful to the peace process.
In a joint statement alongside foreign ministers of the other countries, Wong said that settler violence had led to the deaths of Palestinians and the displacement of whole communities.
“Settler violence is incited by extremist rhetoric which calls for Palestinians to be driven from their homes, encourages violence and human rights abuses and fundamentally rejects the two-state solution,” the joint statement read.
“Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. 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. This is why we have taken this action now – to hold those responsible to account. The Israeli government must uphold its obligations under international law and we call on it to take meaningful action to end extremist, violent and expansionist rhetoric.”
Guardian Australia has contacted Israel’s embassy in Australia for comment.
Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, described the decision as unacceptable and said it was “outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these kind of measures”. Speaking about the British government’s decision specifically, Smotrich said: “Britain has already tried once to prevent us from settling the cradle of our homeland, and we will not allow it to do so again.”
Ben-Gvir said: “We passed Pharaoh, we will also pass [Keir] Starmer’s wall.”
The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, urged that the sanctions be reversed, saying the US condemned the action.
“These sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war,” he said in a statement. “We reject any notion of equivalence: Hamas is a terrorist organisation that committed unspeakable atrocities, continues to hold innocent civilians hostage, and prevents the people of Gaza from living in peace.
“We remind our partners not to forget who the real enemy is. The United States urges the reversal of the sanctions and stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel.”
The joint statement from Australia and allies had noted the ministers’ “unwavering support for Israel’s security and we continue to condemn the horrific terror attacks of 7 October by Hamas”.
“Today’s measures are targeted towards individuals who in our view undermine Israel’s own security and its standing in the world. 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 said.
