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OTTAWA — Canada has joined the U.K., Norway, Australia and New Zealand in sanctioning two Israeli cabinet ministers for “inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.”
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich are accused of pushing “extremist rhetoric” by calling for the displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank and the expansion of Israeli settlements in the territory.
The five countries issued a joint statement announcing the sanctions Tuesday morning.
“Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights,” the statement says. “Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous. These actions are not acceptable.”
The statement says that the countries tried to work with the Israeli government on the issue of forced Palestinian displacement but “violent perpetrators” continue to act with “encouragement and impunity.”
The statement says that while the countries imposing sanctions still support Israel’s right to defend itself, the actions of the “targeted individuals” undermine “Israel’s own security and standing in the world.”
“Today’s measures focus on the West Bank, but of course this cannot be seen in isolation from the catastrophe in Gaza,” the statement says. “We continue to be appalled by the immense suffering of civilians, including the denial of essential aid.”
The sanctioned individuals are inadmissible to Canada and Canadian individuals and organizations are barred from doing business with them.
Last month, Prime Minister Mark Carney joined British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron in writing an open letter condemning Israeli military operations in Gaza. The three leaders called the level of suffering in the territory “intolerable.”
The letter called on the Israeli government to allow more food aid into Gaza and to end military operations there, and for Hamas to release its remaining hostages. The three leaders said they would take “concrete actions” if Israel did not comply.
Carney, Starmer and Macron also threatened to impose sanctions on people and groups linked to the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The U.K. imposed sanctions on what it called a “West Bank violence network” shortly after the letter was released publicly.
Canada has imposed three previous rounds of sanctions on people and groups associated with expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The last round of sanctions was announced in February.
This report was first published by The Canadian Press on June 10, 2025.
David Baxter, The Canadian Press
