Israel’s relations with European nations took another hit today (Tuesday) as France announced personal sanctions against Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, including a ban on entering French territory. Britain, France, Canada, Australia, and Norway simultaneously unveiled a new sanctions package targeting figures they claim are linked to violent incidents in Judea and Samaria.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that alongside Smotrich, sanctions were imposed on four heads of ‘settler’ organizations and 21 “violent settlers,” as he put it. According to Barrot, the measures include entry bans and, where applicable, asset freezes. The French foreign minister accused Smotrich of promoting so-called ‘annexation’ in Judea and Samaria (meaning, application of Israeli law over Israeli territory), harming the terror organization known as the ‘Palestinian Authority’, and supporting IDF occupation of the Gaza Strip as counterterrorism measures.
Meanwhile, the British government announced a new sanctions package against networks and figures it claims are involved in financing, assisting, and carrying out alleged violence. According to London, the move was coordinated with Canada, France, and Norway and is designed to disrupt funding sources for so-called ‘extremist’ groups operating in Judea and Samaria.
British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to declare in Parliament that Israeli citizens operating in Judea and Samaria and “settler violence” pose a threat to the two-state solution. The British government also warned that it will consider additional measures if the “situation” doesn’t change.
The current measures come against the backdrop of an extremist policy line some Western nations have been taking toward Israel since the war broke out. Since British Prime Minister Keir Starmer took office, London has frozen free trade talks with Israel, suspended some arms export licenses, and imposed sanctions on government ministers, including Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
France has also recently escalated its stance against Jerusalem. About a week and a half ago, Barrot announced that Ben-Gvir was banned from entering French territory following his conduct toward Gaza flotilla activists arrested by Israel. Paris claimed the move was designed to protect French and European citizens, while Israel said it was political interference in the country’s internal affairs.
Israel views the recent wave of measures as part of a broader trend of political pressure directed at Israel’s right-wing government and the rapidly-growing Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria.
Less than a month ago, Finance Minister and Defense Minister Bezalel Smotrich held a special press conference following reports that the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague had requested a secret arrest warrant against him. Smotrich presented a combative line, pointing the finger of blame directly at the ‘Palestinian Authority’ and declaring the opening of a direct front against it.
Smotrich opened his remarks by addressing the arrest warrants issued against Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant, calling the move against him “a continuation of a policy of security suicide” that biased bodies are forcing on Israel. “Issuing arrest warrants against the prime minister, against the defense minister and against the finance minister is a declaration of war,” the minister declared. “And we will respond to a declaration of war with all-out war. I am not a submissive Jew. The PA opened a war, and it will get a war.”
According to Smotrich, behind the legal warfare in The Hague stands the ‘Palestinian Authority’, which he called “a terror organization mistakenly called the ‘Palestinian Authority’.” According to him, “The hands are the hands of The Hague, but the voice is the voice of the ‘PA’. This despicable body is what stands behind the attack on ministers who dare to implement a policy that holds its head high against them.”
As a first response measure, the minister announced an immediate operational action: “From today, any economic or other target I have the power to strike within my authority will be attacked. No talk and gimmicks—actions. I am declaring here the first target: immediately upon finishing my remarks, I will sign an order to evacuate Khan al-Ahmar within my authority as minister in the Defense Ministry. I promise all our enemies—this is just the beginning.”
During his speech, Smotrich reviewed his achievements in the Finance Ministry and Defense Ministry, emphasizing the revolution he carried out in the territories of Judea and Samaria as the central factor in the international pressure against him. “We thwarted the dangerous Fayyad plan, established over 100 new communities and 160 agricultural farms that protect a million dunams of state lands,” he said.
The minister emphasized that he is proud of his actions and that he is willing to pay the personal price involved in the arrest warrants: “They don’t impress me. I am willing to pay a personal price to serve my people. This is a price I pay with pride and with my head held high. Israel will no longer hesitate—this is our land, and we will act in it as owners.”
Last month, the prosecutor’s office of the International Criminal Court filed a secret request to issue an arrest warrant against senior Israeli officials. According to a report on the Middle East Eye website, one of the officials is Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. According to the report, the request was filed on April 2 and includes blood libels like committing ‘war crimes’ and ‘crimes against humanity’ against ‘Palestinians’ in Judea and Samaria.
According to the report, the charges attributed to Smotrich include forcible displacement as a war crime and crime against humanity, transfer of Israeli population to ‘occupied’ territory, as well as persecution and apartheid. The report claimed that if the court’s pre-trial chamber approves the request, it would be the first arrest warrant issued by an international court for the crime of apartheid.