UK Considers Sanctions on Two Israeli Ministers Amid Escalating Gaza Conflict

The UK government has adopted a firmer stance toward Israel’s military actions in Gaza. As it contemplates the possibility of sanctioning Israeli ministers, the situation remains complicated, especially following a deadly shooting involving two Israeli embassy staff in Washington.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration has been considering sanctions against two far-right Israeli cabinet members: Itamar Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, and Bezalel Smotrich, the finance minister. This proposal, initially introduced during a previous Conservative government, has yet to be finalized, according to officials familiar with the discussions.

Support for sanctions gained momentum recently after the UK joined France and Canada in criticizing Israel’s expanded military campaign in Gaza. British authorities encountered minimal opposition from the United States, where leadership has also expressed concern over the conflict and a desire to resolve it swiftly.

However, the recent fatal shooting of two embassy employees, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, by a pro-Palestinian assailant near a Jewish museum, has caused some UK officials to reconsider the timing of punitive measures against senior Israeli officials, as shared by a diplomat familiar with the matter.

Current indications suggest the UK may delay any decision on sanctions to observe whether Israel permits a significant increase in aid to Gaza. Should conditions in Gaza improve, the government might postpone blacklisting Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, both of whom support controversial policies involving the displacement of Palestinians, which would violate international law.