Former British Prime Minister David Cameron suggested that the government introduce the possibility of imposing sanctions against two Israeli ministers: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. This, in his opinion, made it possible to put pressure on Israel and carry out its actions within the framework of international law.
In an interview with the BBC’s Today programme, Cameron called Smotrich and Ben-Gvir “extremists” and said sanctions against them would send a clear message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that current policies are unacceptable. It suggests that these ministers spoke against humanitarian aid to Gaza and encouraged radical actions by Israeli settlers. Lord Cameron, who served as foreign secretary from 2023 to 2024, said the sanctions were not imposed for official considerations but rather the rules are a matter of choice.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy also condemned the statements by Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, calling them “unacceptable,” and noted that the United Kingdom continues to cooperate with G7 partners on possible measures.
Tom Keating of the Joint Defense Research Association said imposing sanctions on Israeli ministers would be a step forward. However, he stresses that sanctions require careful preparation and sanctions management is already overloaded with Russia-related work.
Cameron also said that instead of suspending arms exports to Israel, which were partially smuggled into Israeli territory, he would more responsibly impose a mandate against individual ministers. This means that support for Israel’s right to self-defense must be accompanied by clear conditions aimed at ensuring respect for international rights and the provision of humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
Cursor previously reported that former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke in his memoirs about an unusual incident that occurred during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit in 2017. In his book Unchained, Johnson claims that after Netanyahu used a private bathroom in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, security discovered a listening device.
