THE UK must do “far more” than just imposing sanctions on two Israeli ministers and stop selling arms to Israel, human rights campaigners have said.
Amnesty International welcomed the move by the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, in imposing sanctions against extremist Israeli politicians Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
Former first minister Humza Yousaf joined calls from the group urging the UK to go further and stop all arms sales to Israel.
On Tuesday, it was announced that Ben-Gvir, Israel’s security minister, and Smotrich, finance minister, will have their assets frozen and travel bans imposed by the five countries.
In a joint statement, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and his counterparts said the sanctions were imposed because the two ministers “incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”.
It continued: “These actions are not acceptable. This is why we have taken action now – to hold those responsible to account.”
Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are two hard-line ministers who have made repeated comments during their time in office that have prompted outrage. They are two key allies of Benjamin Netanyahu and his current government.
Smotrich approved the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and campaigned against allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Ben-Gvir resigned from Netanyahu’s cabinet during the ceasefire in January, rejoining in March when fighting resumed. He said allowing aid deliveries into Gaza was a “serious and grave mistake” and has advocated for the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza.
While many campaigners and groups welcomed the sanctions, many said it did not go far enough.
Sacha Deshmukh, chief Executive at Amnesty International UK, said: "Targeting civilians and advocating for the destruction of entire communities are not just reprehensible - they're potential war crimes.
“We are witnessing a catastrophic assault on human rights: entire families erased, homes destroyed, and a population subjected to starvation and forced displacement. These horrors must end now.
“Recognising genocidal rhetoric by Israeli military and political leaders who have made no distinction between civilians and armed groups in Gaza is welcome but long overdue - far more must be done to protect Palestinian lives and uphold international law.
“The UK government must use every political, legal, and diplomatic tool at its disposal to help end Israel’s genocide in Gaza including halting UK arms supplies to Israel, and press for the dismantling of the system of apartheid across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory."
SNP MSP Yousaf said: “Sanctioning extremists like Ben-Gvir and Smotrich is welcomed. However, let's not forget it is Netanyahu who is wanted by the ICC for war crimes, he too should be sanctioned.
“As well as sanctions, surely the UK must stop all arm sales to Israel.
“What red lines are left to cross?”
Tim Bierley, campaigner at Global Justice Now, also said that the UK should have gone further.
“As long as the UK continues to arm Israel and continue its business-as-usual approach to trade with the country, imposing sanctions on individual Israeli ministers is little more than a symbolic gesture,” he said.
“Instead of piecemeal sanctions on individuals, our government must enact systemic sanctions that hit Israel’s ability to wage war and oppress Palestinians across the occupied territory.
Several politicians also commented on the sanctions.
Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said: “Sanctions against prominent individuals are all well and good, but the UK Government needs to go much further to stop the genocide in Gaza.
“By continuing to provide the state of Israel with arms and funding for its war machine, the UK is complicit in the horrors we are seeing in Gaza as well as the illegal and increasingly violent occupation of the West Bank.
“Instead of prolonging the suffering being endured daily by people in Gaza and propping up Benjamin Netanyahu’s corrupt, far-right Government, Keir Starmer must impose comprehensive sanctions against Israel itself to achieve an immediate ceasefire that will allow those in Gaza to rebuild their lives.”
Meanwhile, Emily Thornberry, chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, has said the UK Government is doing the “right thing” with sanctions.
She posted on X: “I and others have been calling for sanctions on these extremist Israeli ministers for the better part of a year.
“The Government is finally doing the right thing.
“This must be a precursor to recognising a Palestinian state next week – not an alternative to it.”
It comes as at least 127 Palestinians have been killed attempting to access food and aid from Israeli and US supported distribution centres.
Experts have warned that Israel’s blockade and its ongoing military campaign have put Gaza at risk of famine.
Israeli forces have repeatedly fired toward crowds heading to the food centres since they opened last month.
