Israeli ministers call for UK retaliation over looming sanctions

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Monday demanded retaliatory measures against Britain as London prepares to impose sanctions targeting illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Smotrich accused the British government of antisemitism and called for the immediate expulsion of the British ambassador. "The British Mandate in the Land of Israel is over," he said on the social media platform X, adding that London sought to divert attention from domestic economic problems by targeting Israel.

Ben-Gvir urged the Israeli government to recognize Argentine sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and impose reciprocal sanctions on Britain. "It is time for the State of Israel to officially recognize that the Falkland Islands are occupied Argentine territory, stolen by the British by force from the Argentine people," he wrote on X, accusing Britain of exploiting oil resources around the islands. He called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recognize Argentine sovereignty "as long as the occupation continues."

UK Sanctions Expected

The ministers' remarks followed a report by Israel's Channel 15 stating that Britain is expected to announce a comprehensive sanctions package on Tuesday, including a ban on products from illegal Israeli settlements. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said last week that London would unveil measures targeting settlements in the coming weeks, citing Israeli plans to expand construction in the E1 area of occupied East Jerusalem.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar threatened reciprocal action against Britain last Tuesday. "If Britain takes action against the State of Israel, Israel will take action against Britain. We have the tools," Saar told Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth daily. His comments came in response to questions regarding potential British measures against settlement expansion in the strategic corridor.

Settlement Expansion Context

The E1 settlement project envisages approximately 3,400 housing units in occupied East Jerusalem, with authorities issuing a tender for 1,234 units in August, according to the Israeli rights groups Ir Amim, Bimkom and Peace Now. Around 750,000 Israeli settlers currently live in 156 illegal settlements and 360 settlement outposts across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, where they carry out near-daily attacks aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinians from their land, according to Palestinian figures.