Britain’s Foreign Office today (Tuesday) released the names of five Israelis hit with personal sanctions as part of a broader crackdown on the State of Israel.
The list includes conservative activist Benzi Gopstein, founder of the Lehava organization; conservative activist Meir Mordechai Ettinger, a council member of the Derech Chaim movement; bereaved father Eliav Libi, a co-founder of the ranch movement in Judea and Samaria; conservative activist Baruch Marzel, chairman of the Kach movement; and Judea and Samaria activist Avihai Swissa.
All five have been deeply involved in advancing activity in Judea and Samaria and the Jewish state—some through politics, others through establishing new communities.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced the measures earlier Tuesday in Parliament, banning imports of goods from Israeli territory and imposing a new sanctions regime targeting companies and individuals providing services to Israeli communities.
In doing so, Britain placed Judea and Samaria in the same category as Iran and Hezbollah, which are also subject to UK sanctions. Twelve countries joined the move: France, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. What began as a unilateral British step has now become an attempt to build an international front applying economic pressure on Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.