In a significant diplomatic move, six countries enforced coordinated sanctions against Israeli extremist settler groups and key figures linked to settler violence in the West Bank. These measures include travel bans and asset freezes designed to cut financial support for agitation following a sharp rise in settler attacks on Palestinian civilians.
France notably expanded its restrictions by barring Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, from entering the country. Smotrich oversees demolition and construction activities in parts of the West Bank and has become a recurrent target of international censure. Before France’s latest move, Smotrich was already prohibited from entering several European and Commonwealth countries.
The joint sanctions were announced by the foreign ministers of France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, and Australia. They expressed their intent to hold extremist settlers accountable, condemning the “horrific levels of settler violence” documented in recent years. The United Nations reported over 1,800 attacks by settlers against Palestinians in 2025 alone, marking the highest annual toll since data collection began in 2006. Israel’s military recorded a similar surge in nationalist settler violence in that period.
New Zealand also imposed travel bans recently, targeting three individuals accused of advancing illegal settlements through violent means. These include Itamar Yehuda Levi and associates linked to his construction company, both singled out by the UK in parallel sanctions.
The Israeli government rejected these measures, labeling them as politicized and “camouflaged” attempts to influence domestic politics. It condemned the sanctions as symptomatic of underlying antisemitism within the sanctioning countries and criticized their failure to address antisemitic acts at home.
Smotrich’s appearance at a pro-Israel parade in New York City shortly before France’s ban sparked controversy among local Jewish leaders, many of whom disapproved of his participation. Efforts to obtain comment from Smotrich were unsuccessful.
These latest sanctions add to a growing list of restrictions on Israeli figures involved with West Bank settlement policies. Countries including Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, and Slovenia have previously barred Smotrich, alongside other far-right leaders like Itamar Ben-Gvir.