Key facts
- France has banned Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country.
- The ban is due to Smotrich's support for West Bank annexations and settlement expansion.
- The UK, Australia, Canada, and Norway have sanctioned networks involved in financing and enabling settler violence in the West Bank.
- The UK also announced new guidance advising businesses against economic activity in illegal settlements.
- Israel condemned the sanctions as politically motivated and fueling antisemitism.
France has banned Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country, citing his active promotion of West Bank annexation and settlement expansion. This move aligns with sanctions imposed by the UK, Australia, Canada, and Norway on networks and individuals involved in financing and enabling settler violence against Palestinians. The UK also issued new guidance advising businesses against economic activity in illegal settlements. These actions come amid a surge in settler attacks on Palestinians since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel. Israel's Foreign Ministry rejected the sanctions as politically motivated and accused the involved countries of fueling antisemitism. The Palestinian foreign ministry welcomed the joint statement and sanctions.