UK and Allies Sanction Networks Fueling Settler Violence in West Bank
The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France and Norway announced a coordinated sanctions regime targeting six entities and one individual accused of supporting violent settlements in the Israeli‑occupied West Bank. The measures aim to "hold extremist settlers accountable for the horrific levels of settler violence," the ministers said.
The sanctions involve asset freezes, travel bans and director disqualifications. They focus on an association that funds settler farms and an illegal construction company used to demolish Palestinian property. For the first time, the UK’s official guidance now explicitly advises businesses to avoid economic activity in illegal settlements.
France added a further step by banning Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country, citing his role in promoting annexation and settlement expansion. The French move followed the UK and allied announcement that up to 30 individuals linked to settler violence would be barred.
Israel’s foreign ministry described the sanctions as "political acts camouflaged as measures against violence," arguing that they unfairly target Israel’s right of settlement and stoke antisemitism abroad. Israeli officials asserted that the measures do not address the broader conflict but rather politicise the right of Jews to live in the land of Israel.
The Western sanctions come amid a surge in settler attacks. The United Nations recorded 1,835 incidents in 2025 involving violence or property damage, with 7 Palestinians killed and 832 injured—an increase of 130% over the previous year. Settlement expansion has risen sharply since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right‑wing coalition assumed office in 2022, with more than 100 new settlements approved according to the Israeli watchdog Peace Now.
The Palestinian foreign ministry welcomed the joint statement, rejecting the occupation’s annexation agenda. It said the measures symbolize international pressure for accountability and respect for international law.
