British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Wednesday that his government is contemplating imposing sanctions on two Israeli ministers for their remarks regarding Gaza. During a session in the House of Commons, Starmer stated that they are considering penalizing Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for their “appalling statements” concerning the ongoing Middle East conflict.
“The humanitarian situation in Gaza is desperate,” Starmer remarked. “Israel must take all possible measures to prevent further civilian casualties, facilitate the delivery of aid to Gaza, and allow UN humanitarian partners to operate effectively.”
Both ministers have publicly advocated for the resettlement of Palestinians outside of Gaza, which would come under Israeli control.
On Tuesday, former British Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary David Cameron indicated that he had also considered sanctioning these two individuals as a means to “pressure” the Israeli government to comply with international law.
In a related move, the UK, along with France and Algeria, called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council on Wednesday to address the situation in Gaza. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy urged Israel to “ensure that civilians are protected and that routes are opened for the delivery of vital aid.”
This article is originally published on aurora-israel.co.il
