Australia sends ‘clear message’ joins allies to sanction ‘extremist’ Israeli ministers as US criticise action

Australia joined the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Norway in slapping travel bans and financial sanctions on two senior Israeli Government ministers in a major split from its biggest security partner, the United States.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich were hit with the Magnitsky-style sanctions for inciting “extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”, a joint statement by the nations’ foreign ministers said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday justified the move as a “specific decision” based on the actions and rhetoric of the two ministers that had promoted violence in the West Bank and on concerns about the expansion of settlements there.

He said the “expansionist rhetoric” from the two Israeli officials, who are both members of far-Right fringe parties, was a “serious impediment” to a two-state solution.

“We support a clear resolution in the Middle East. We have been outspoken about calling for, firstly, for a ceasefire, for the hostages to be released. We have made it clear we see that Hamas should have no role in the future of the region,” he told reporters in Sydney.

“We support Israel’s right to live and to exist in secure borders. But we also support the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians. Now, sometimes, friends have to be clear with each other,” he said, adding that the Government had continuously raised its position about the ministers privately and publicly.

The US and Israel immediately condemned the move – a reaction that Mr Albanese described as “predictable, frankly”.

Israel slammed the decision as “outrageous,” and both countries demanded its reversal.

“These sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war,” said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement.

“We reject any notion of equivalence: Hamas is a terrorist organisation that committed unspeakable atrocities, continues to hold innocent civilians hostage, and prevents the people of Gaza from living in peace.

“We remind our partners not to forget who the real enemy is.”

The joint statement issued by the five nations highlighted Israeli settlements considered illegal under international law, and reiterated support for a two-state solution as “the only way to guarantee security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians”.

The statement criticised extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements as “appalling and dangerous”.

“We have engaged the Israeli Government on this issue extensively, yet violent perpetrators continue to act with encouragement and impunity. This is why we have taken this action now – to hold those responsible to account.”

The five countries said the measures were targeted towards individuals who “in our view undermine Israel’s own security and its standing in the world,” and stressed the sanctions did not deviate from “unwavering support for Israel’s security”.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong defended the sanctions action as a necessary step towards achieving peace in the region as she repeated condemnation of Hamas for their terrorist activities and the “horrific events” of October 7.

“We don’t pretend that these actions alone will bring about peace, what we can do is contribute, and that is what we are seeking to do,” she said.

Australia had joined the collaborative move to “send a very clear message” about the impingement of Palestinian rights in the West Bank.

“We have, with others, targeted sanctions, personal sanctions against these ministers, because whilst they are not the only members of the Israeli government whose actions have been problematic, they are certainly the most extreme,” she said.

“This action is the result of many months of effort and coordination, and together, these countries are sending a message: you have ignored the international community, and we do not tolerate it.”

Shadow foreign minister Michaelia Cash is seeking a briefing on the decision to impose sanctions, although the Coalition stopped short of directly opposing the move.

Senator Cash said the Coalition expected there would have been “a very high threshold” before the “very serious development”.

“We are concerned that there is a pattern of decisions by the Albanese Government targeting the Israeli Government, rather than Hamas, including the decision to block a former Israeli minister for justice from travelling to Australia and the refusal to rule out arresting the Prime Minister of Israel,” she said in a statement.

Senator Wong confirmed Australia had engaged with the US overnight and acknowledged differences in views.

“Obviously, in the history of our alliance, there are issues on which we’ve taken different approaches. And I would make the point that we are acting with others,” she said.

She declined to answer whether she had spoken directly with Israel’s ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon but said she had seen the statement by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and respectfully disagreed.

Mr Sa’ar labelled the action unacceptable and outrageous.

He and Mr Netanyahu will hold a special government meeting early next week to decide Israel’s response.

“It is outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these kind of measures,” Mr Sa’ar said.

He said the international political pressure on Israel sought “to bring about an end to the war without achieving its goals” and only hardened Hamas’ stance in hostage and ceasefire negotiations.

“Israel is a sovereign, independent, and proud state that is fighting a historic battle for its existence against a regional axis working to destroy it,” he said.

“Israel will emerge from this battle with the upper hand – first and foremostly because it has no other choice.”

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin suggested the sanctions could undermine US-led efforts to end the war in Gaza.

“We dislike these two politicians just like 90 per cent of Israelis who didn’t vote for them,” he said in a statement.

“But sanctioning the politicians of a democratic ally will not contribute to peace when there is a war in Gaza and the obstacle to peace has always been Palestinian violence and rejection of a negotiated end to conflict.

“Targeting a pair of firebrands from a minor party distracts from the actual issues and could also undermine US-led efforts to end the war in Gaza and help deliver peace to the region.”

Senator Wong stressed the Government wanted “a peaceful, secure future for the people of Israel, but we do take issue with the actions of the Netanyahu government”.

She rejected any attempt to hold the Australian Jewish community responsible for the actions of the Netanyahu government, and also rejected “all forms of anti-Semitism”.

The UK government also stressed it had made it repeatedly clear to Israel it believed Mr Ben-Gvir and Mr Smotrich were responsible for inciting settler violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank and that it must stop.

Hamish Falconer, Minister for the Middle East, told the UK Parliament the two-state solution was in peril and the gravity of the situation demanded further action.

“The reality is that these human rights abuses, incitement to violence, the extremist rhetoric comes not just from an uncontrolled fringe but from individuals who are Ministers in this Israeli government,” he said.

“Today, with our partners, we have shown the extremists we will not sit by while they wreck the prospects of future peace.

Mr Falconer said the agendas of the two ministers were “not even supported by the majority of Israelis”.

Saudi Arabia and France will co-host a “two-state solution” conference at the UN next week.

Ahead of this, Senator Wong flagged the possibility of international recognition of a Palestinian state coming before the end of a negotiation process but said there were clear conditions attached to recognition including the sovereign security of Israel, release of hostages and no role for Hamas.

American ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said this week he did not think an independent Palestinian state remained a goal of US foreign policy.