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French officials have accused Smotrich of promoting Israeli sovereignty efforts in Judea and Samaria, weakening the Palestinian Authority, and supporting expanded military operations in Gaza.
By United with Israel Staff
A growing group of Western governments has intensified diplomatic pressure on Israel by imposing sanctions on Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a move that Israeli officials and supporters have condemned as unfairly targeting an elected minister while Israel remains at war on multiple fronts.
France, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway announced coordinated measures against Smotrich this week, citing concerns over policies in Judea and Samaria and what they describe as rising settler violence.
The decision marks a significant escalation in the willingness of some of Israel’s traditional allies to take punitive action against senior members of the Israeli government.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that Smotrich would be barred from entering France. The sanctions package also targets four leaders of settler organizations and 21 individuals accused by European governments of involvement in violent incidents.
French Ambassador to Israel Frédéric Journès defended the move during an interview with Israel’s Kan News, saying Paris had refrained from such measures for years despite pressure from some allies.
According to Journès, France previously avoided sanctioning Israeli ministers because of the principle of collective cabinet responsibility. However, he said French officials concluded that the situation in Judea and Samaria had deteriorated to the point where action was necessary.
The ambassador added that France, as a nation governed by the rule of law, must apply its principles consistently. “Anyone who promotes, encourages, or provides political cover for violence is not welcome in our country,” he said.
French officials have accused Smotrich of promoting Israeli sovereignty efforts in Judea and Samaria, weakening the Palestinian Authority, and supporting expanded military operations in Gaza.
Britain offered similar reasoning for its decision. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to tell Parliament that settlement expansion and settler violence threaten the prospects of a two-state solution and require a stronger international response.
London has also signaled that additional measures could follow if it does not see changes on the ground.
The sanctions come amid a broader shift in policy among several Western governments since the outbreak of the war. Under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Britain has frozen free-trade negotiations with Israel, suspended certain arms export licenses, and adopted a more confrontational approach toward the Israeli government.
Alongside Smotrich, British authorities announced sanctions against six organizations and one individual, including groups linked to the settlement movement and their leadership.
The move has drawn criticism from Israeli officials and pro-Israel advocates, who argue that Western governments are placing disproportionate scrutiny on Israeli leaders while failing to apply comparable pressure on Palestinian factions, Hamas, or the broader network of Iranian-backed groups responsible for attacks against Israeli civilians.
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