Australia has banned two “extremist, hardline” senior Israeli government ministers after accusing them of inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced on Wednesday the targeted sanctions in a joint statement alongside her counterparts from Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom.
The measures – which include travel bans and financial sanctions – are against National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who have been accused of inciting “extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”.
Mr Ben-Gvir, from the Jewish Power party, and Mr Smotrich, of the Religious Zionism Party, are members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government.
“These two ministers have been the most extremist and hard line of an extremist settler enterprise, which is both unlawful and violent,” Senator Wong told ABC television.
“Australia can’t shift the dial on the Middle East by ourselves.
“What we can do is act with others, and that’s what we’ve done.”
Asked about US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s condemnation of the sanctions, the foreign minister said that despite their differences Australia and the US remained aligned on strategic interests.
“We will continue to be part of the international call for aid to enter (Gaza) unhindered, unimpeded,” Senator Wong said.
“That is Israel’s obligation.
“We will continue to advocate for a ceasefire and the return of hostages, and we will continue to condemn Hamas and its terrorist ideology.”
The joint statement on the sanctions said the two ministers’ extremist rhetoric pushing for the “forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous”.
“These actions are not acceptable,” the ministers said.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the sanctions “outrageous” and said his government would hold a meeting early next week to decide how to respond to the “unacceptable decision” made by the five countries.
Although the sanctions focus on the West Bank, the foreign ministers said “this cannot be seen in isolation from the catastrophe in Gaza”.
The Australian Jewish Association said it was appalled by the federal government’s actions and accused it of anti-Semitism.
“This action represents a hostile and unjustified attack on a democratic ally and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms,” the association said in a statement.
“This government’s willingness to engage with authoritarian regimes, including Holocaust deniers like Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, while targeting the world’s only Jewish state, exposes a disturbing double standard.
“There is no other explanation for this disparity than blatant anti-semitism.”
The Australian Centre for International Justice said the decision was a significant step and would send a clear message.
“These measures directly respond to the compelling evidence implicating Ben-Gvir and Smotrich in inciting extremist violence and serious human rights violations against Palestinians,” acting executive director Lara Khider said.
with Reuters
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