US condemns 'unhelpful' sanctions against Israeli ministers

The Trump administration condemned “extremely unhelpful” sanctions against far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich instituted by the UK, Canada, Australia, Norway, and New Zealand on Tuesday.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that “it will do nothing to get us closer to a ceasefire in Gaza”.

Bruce added that the countries should focus on the “real culprit, which is Hamas”.

“We remain concerned about any step that would further isolate Israel from the international community," she said. "If our allies want to help, they should focus on supporting special envoy [Steve] Witkoff’s negotiations and backing the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation when it comes to food and aid.”

The sanctions against National Security Minister Gvir and Finance Minister Smotrich are over "their repeated incitement of violence against Palestinian communities" in Gaza and in the occupied West Bank.

Attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians have been taking place on a near-daily basis, and the head of the police’s West Bank division is currently under investigation for not doing anything to curry favour with Ben Gvir.

The two Israeli ministers have opposed the entry of international aid into Gaza and repeatedly advocated for the forced expulsion of Palestinians from the territory, with Ben Gvir calling for Israel to "encourage the voluntary emigration of the residents of Gaza".