UK imposes sanctions over violence by ‘extremist Israeli settlers’ in West Bank

David Lammy has announced a fresh wave of sanctions in response to violence by “extremist Israeli settlers” in the West Bank – as he criticised the “inaction of the Israeli government” for allowing “impunity to flourish”.

The measures target three outposts and four organisations that have supported and perpetrated “heinous abuses of human rights” against Palestinian communities in the occupied territory, the foreign secretary said.

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It comes as his predecessor Lord David Cameron revealed that the previous Conservative government had been preparing to sanction two Israeli ministers over comments encouraging blocking aid to Gaza.

Tirzah Valley Farm Outpost, Meitarim Outpost and Shuvi Eretz Outpost are the three settlements targeted in the latest restrictions.

The UK government said the four organisations sanctioned are Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva, a religious school known to promote violence against non-Jewish people; Hashomer Yosh, a group which provides volunteers for illegal outposts; Torat Lechima, a registered charity which provides financial support to the settlements; and construction company Amana.

Settler violence often seeks to force Palestinians to leave their homes and seize their land for the construction of outposts, which are illegal under both international and Israeli law, it added.

There has been a huge rise in settler violence in the West Bank over the last year, with the UN recording more than 1,400 attacks since last October.

Mr Lammy said the latest measures will “help bring accountability to those who have supported and perpetrated such heinous abuses of human rights”.

He added: “The Israeli government must crack down on settler violence and stop settler expansion on Palestinian land. As long as violent extremists remain unaccountable, the UK and the international community will continue to act.”

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Lord Cameron, who was drafted into Rishi Sunak’s cabinet as foreign secretary last year, told the BBC on Tuesday that he had been “working up” sanctions against Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir during his final days in government.

The former prime minister described the two men as “extremists” and argued that sanctions would have been a way of putting “pressure” on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to act in line with international law.

Asked why the sanctions had not been imposed, he said he had been advised the move would have been too “political” during an election.

Mr Smotrich was recently criticised for appearing to suggest it might be “just and moral” to withhold food aid from Gaza, while Mr Ben-Gvir has backed the expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank

Mr Lammy has condemned both men but declined to commit on sanctioning them when urged to do so during a Commons debate last month.