What Israel Government ministers said to cop NZ sanctions
Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says these two Israel Government ministers need to be sanctioned for comments made undermining peace efforts in the Middle East. So what did they say? Glenn McConnell reports.
New Zealand has sanctioned two Israel Government ministers, effectively accusing them of warmongering following the October 7 Hamas attack out of Gaza.
The sanctions targeted Israel’s finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, and the national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, prohibiting them from travelling to New Zealand.
Those sanctions were announced as a part of a coordinated effort with the UK, Australia, Canada and Norway, who also announced similar measures against them, also on Wednesday morning (NZT).
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said this wasn’t intended to be a sanction “against the Israeli people” or against the Government of Israel. Instead, he said the sanction was justified against these two individuals.
“[They] are using their leadership positions to actively undermine peace and security and remove prospects for a two-state solution,” Peters said.
So what have they said?
Smotrich has been vocal in his support of Israeli settlers who have at times forcibly removed Palestinians from their homes in the West Bank, paving the way for new settlements. The International Court of Justice has ruled they are illegal, and reaffirmed this position in 2024.
Smotrich lives in the West Bank. He justified these settlements, saying Jews have a biblical claim to the land. He has also described Palestinians living there as “Nazis”.
He has also campaigned against gay rights, calling himself proudly homophobic, and is pro-segregation. He campaigned against Arab and Jewish people from sharing the same medical services.
Ben-Gvir, the security minister, said the war in Gaza represented an “opportunity” for Israel, and has pushed for Israel to take control of the land to colonise it - and thereby remove Palestinians.
Last year, speaking against a ceasefire, he said the “correct solution” was for Israel to take over Gaza.
“We cannot withdraw from any territory we are in in the Gaza Strip. Not only do I not rule out Jewish settlement there, I believe it is also an important thing,” he said, as the Times of Israel reported.
What is the background for these two?
Smotrich leads Mafdal, Israel’s Religious Zionism Party. It forms part of the coalition government, and has some of the most extreme views in that government about Palestine.
The party has campaigned for Israel to take control of more Palestinian land, in both the West Bank and taking full control of Gaza.
But the Religious Zionism Party believes any land under Israel’s control should be governed as an ethno state.
Ben-Gvir, the security minister, left the Religious Zionist Party to lead his own movement, called Otzma Yehudit - or “Jewish Power”.
He has a long rap sheet including convictions for supporting a terrorist organisation and inciting racism.
The Associated Press reported: “As a teen, his views were so extreme that the army banned him from compulsory military service.”
In government, he spent his time campaigning against any military withdrawal from Gaza or ceasefire.
The US and Israel respond
The US State Department, on Wednesday, said the sanctions had been “extremely unhelpful”.
Spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said New Zealand and the four other nations “should focus on the real culprit, which is Hamas”.
During a press conference, Israel Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called the sanctions “outrageous”.
“I discussed it earlier today with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and we will hold a special government meeting early next week to decide on our response to this unacceptable decision,” he said.
Sanctions a joint effort
The UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, said the ministers had encouraged Israeli settlers to carry out “extremist violence” and abuse Palestinian human rights.
Australia Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, “Settler violence is incited by extremist rhetoric which calls for Palestinians to be driven from their homes.”
And Peters said: “New Zealand is a long-standing supporter of the two-state solution. Ministers Smotrich and Ben-Gvir have severely and deliberately undermined that by personally advocating for the annexation of Palestinian land and the expansion of illegal settlements, while inciting violence and forced displacement.”
New Zealand had previously sanctioned what Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called “extremist Israeli settlers” who had been involved with attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.
While New Zealand has not sanctioned Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Luxon earlier confirmed that - given he has an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court - he would be unable to travel to New Zealand without facing arrest.