Rubio criticises UK over Gaza-related sanctions on Israeli ministers

Published on 11/06/2025 - 13:27 GMT+2

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has criticised a determination by nan UK and 4 different nations to enforce sanctions connected 2 far-right Israeli Cabinet ministers complete their comments connected Gaza.

"These sanctions do not beforehand US-led efforts to execute a ceasefire, bring each hostages home, and extremity nan war," Rubio said successful a connection connected Tuesday.

The UK, alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, imposed sanctions connected Israel's Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, claiming nan brace had incited "violence against Palestinians successful nan West Bank".

"Extremist rhetoric advocating nan forced displacement of Palestinians and nan creation of caller Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous," nan countries said successful a associated statement.

Smotrich, Israel’s finance minister, and Ben-Gvir, nan country's nationalist information minister, are elder members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet.

They person agelong viewed immoderate region successful fighting arsenic a threat to Israeli deterrence and, arsenic leaders of cardinal far-right conjugation parties, clasp leverage complete Netanyahu, whose governmental endurance depends connected their continued support.

As a consequence of nan sanctions, some ministers could look recreation bans and plus freezes.

Ben-Gvir was defiant successful consequence to nan UK government's determination to enforce sanctions.

"We survived Pharaoh; we will besides past Keir Starmer," he said successful a statement, comparing nan sanctions to Britain's White Paper of 1939, which restricted Jewish migration to the-then Mandatory Palestine. Ben-Gvir added that he would proceed moving for Israel and its group without fearfulness aliases intimidation.

Smotrich said: "Britain has already tried erstwhile to forestall america from settling nan cradle of our homeland, and we will not let it to do truthful again. We are wished to proceed building."

Rubio besides called connected friends to "not hide who nan existent force is". He urged a reversal of nan sanctions and said that nan US stood "shoulder-to-shoulder pinch Israel".

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called nan sanctions "an unthinkable overreach".

Israel’s authorities powerfully condemned nan announcement. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called nan move "outrageous" and said he would meet pinch Netanyahu adjacent week to talk a general response. He warned nan sanctions could harden Hamas' position successful ongoing negotiations to extremity nan warfare successful Gaza.

Even centrist Israeli leaders criticised nan sanctions. Benny Gantz, a governmental rival to Netanyahu, called nan determination a "profound civilized mistake" and said it sends "a vulnerable connection to terrorists astir nan world".

The sanctions travel arsenic accepted friends of Israel person stepped up their disapproval of nan country's prolonged warfare successful Gaza and assistance blockade, which quality authorities groups pass has pushed nan enclave to nan brink of famine.