Overview

• The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway froze assets and imposed travel bans on Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
• Sanctions target the ministers’ inflammatory calls for the destruction of Gaza, forced displacement of Palestinians and expansion of West Bank settlements.
• Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar denounced the decision as outrageous and scheduled a special cabinet meeting to plan Israel’s response.
• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized the measures as extremely unhelpful to ceasefire efforts and reaffirmed Washington’s support for Israel.
• The joint action breaks with US policy and underscores widening diplomatic rifts over Israel’s Gaza offensive and the region’s humanitarian crisis.