Five Western countries—the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia, and Norway—have imposed sanctions on six Israeli right-wing organizations and an extremist activist involved in settlement activities in the occupied West Bank. The sanctions include asset seizures and travel bans, aiming to cut off funding for these entities. France has separately banned Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country, citing his active encouragement of settlement activities in the West Bank.
The joint statement from the five countries emphasizes that the sanctions are intended to disrupt the financial support enabling these entities to operate in the West Bank. The United Kingdom has previously imposed sanctions on other Israeli extremist groups and individuals involved in settlement activities, including organizations like Amana, Nchala, Hashomer, Torah LeKhima, and Lehava, as well as activists like Elisha Yered, Noam Federman, Neria Ben Pazi, and Eden Levi.
