This is an archived page of our campaign urging the British government to sanction Israeli ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich.
It is time to tell the UK government to stop thinking about sanctions and implement them.
As global attention focused on the U.S. election, reports began emerging from Israel that the entire northern Gaza Strip had been forcibly evacuated, aid access cut off, and residents barred from returning in order to prevent the regrouping of Hamas.
Despite some attempts to roll back comments made by senior IDF officials who had stated this was happening, it is yet more evidence that appears to confirm the implementation of the so-called “Generals’ Plan”. This plan has been devised by Israeli retired military generals, to permanently clear civilians from the north and treat anyone remaining as a hostile target. Over the past month, the northern region of Gaza has experienced relentless bombings with high death tolls, making it almost impossible to live in the north.
At the heart of the Israeli government are ministers such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who long ago abandoned the hostages and openly support transferring Palestinians out of Gaza with the intention of resettling it. During Succot, tens of members of the government attended a conference on the Israel-Gaza border calling for it to be re-occupied. Ben Gvir spoke at the conference saying that “We will encourage the voluntary transfer of all Gazan citizens…we will offer them the opportunity to move to other countries because that land belongs to us.” In August, Bezalel Smotrich the finance minister said “it may be justified and moral” to starve 2 million Gaza residents until Israeli hostages are returned.
Forcibly removing the residents of Gaza and telling them they cannot return to their homes must be condemned.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has suggested the UK is considering sanctions against Ben Gvir and Smotrich to counter these extremist policies, but decisive action has yet to be taken.
It is essential that the UK government implement sanctions now. Israeli law permits Israeli banks to freeze accounts of individuals and entities sanctioned by the UK, immediately marginalising them and limiting their influence. It would also encourage other Western allies to follow suit, creating a groundswell against their extremism which sits at the heart of the Israeli government.
It is essential that in the absence of clear voices of leadership in our community condemning these words and actions, that we take the lead.
Please write to your MP and urge immediate sanctions against these officials—this is a policy that the UK government can enact tomorrow which could have immediate impact.