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Israeli Ministers Demand Retaliation as UK Sanctions Loom
(MENAFN) Hardline Israeli ministers demanded retaliatory action against Britain on Monday, as London reportedly moves toward unveiling a fresh round of sanctions against Israel.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the British ambassador's immediate expulsion, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir pressed Israel to sanction Britain outright and formally recognize Argentine sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.
The statements followed a report by Israel's private Channel 15 stating that Britain is set to announce sanctions on Israel as early as Tuesday, including a ban on goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements across the occupied West Bank.
Writing on X, Smotrich accused the British government of antisemitism and repeated his call for the ambassador's expulsion. "The British Mandate in the Land of Israel is over," he said. He further alleged that London was targeting Israel to distract from economic and social troubles at home.
Ben-Gvir, for his part, urged Israel to recognize Argentina's claim over the Falklands, a British-administered territory also claimed by Argentina. "It is time for the State of Israel to officially recognize that the Falkland Islands are occupied Argentine territory, stolen by the British by force from the Argentine people," he wrote on X. He also accused Britain of exploiting oil resources in waters surrounding the islands, and called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recognize Argentine sovereignty and impose sanctions on Britain "as long as the occupation continues."
The warnings build on comments made last Tuesday by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who threatened to respond in kind to any British action. "If Britain takes action against the State of Israel, Israel will take action against Britain. We have the tools," Saar told Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth daily, responding to questions about potential UK sanctions tied to Israeli plans to expand illegal settlements in the E1 area of occupied East Jerusalem.
That same day, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said London intends to roll out a comprehensive package of measures targeting settlements in the coming weeks.
The dispute follows an August disclosure by Israeli rights groups Ir Amim, Bimkom and Peace Now, which reported that authorities had issued a tender for 1,234 housing units as part of the illegal E1 settlement project in occupied East Jerusalem. The groups say the broader plan calls for roughly 3,400 settlement units in total.
According to Palestinian figures, an estimated 750,000 Israeli occupiers currently live across 156 illegal settlements and 360 settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, carrying out near-daily attacks aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinians from their land.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the British ambassador's immediate expulsion, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir pressed Israel to sanction Britain outright and formally recognize Argentine sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.
The statements followed a report by Israel's private Channel 15 stating that Britain is set to announce sanctions on Israel as early as Tuesday, including a ban on goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements across the occupied West Bank.
Writing on X, Smotrich accused the British government of antisemitism and repeated his call for the ambassador's expulsion. "The British Mandate in the Land of Israel is over," he said. He further alleged that London was targeting Israel to distract from economic and social troubles at home.
Ben-Gvir, for his part, urged Israel to recognize Argentina's claim over the Falklands, a British-administered territory also claimed by Argentina. "It is time for the State of Israel to officially recognize that the Falkland Islands are occupied Argentine territory, stolen by the British by force from the Argentine people," he wrote on X. He also accused Britain of exploiting oil resources in waters surrounding the islands, and called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recognize Argentine sovereignty and impose sanctions on Britain "as long as the occupation continues."
The warnings build on comments made last Tuesday by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who threatened to respond in kind to any British action. "If Britain takes action against the State of Israel, Israel will take action against Britain. We have the tools," Saar told Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth daily, responding to questions about potential UK sanctions tied to Israeli plans to expand illegal settlements in the E1 area of occupied East Jerusalem.
That same day, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said London intends to roll out a comprehensive package of measures targeting settlements in the coming weeks.
The dispute follows an August disclosure by Israeli rights groups Ir Amim, Bimkom and Peace Now, which reported that authorities had issued a tender for 1,234 housing units as part of the illegal E1 settlement project in occupied East Jerusalem. The groups say the broader plan calls for roughly 3,400 settlement units in total.
According to Palestinian figures, an estimated 750,000 Israeli occupiers currently live across 156 illegal settlements and 360 settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, carrying out near-daily attacks aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinians from their land.
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