France bans Smotrich as allies move against Israeli settler violence in occupied West Bank

France has banned Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country, as the UK and several allies announced new sanctions targeting networks accused of financing and enabling settler violence in the occupied West Bank.

The measures, announced on Tuesday, mark a further tightening of Western pressure over Israeli settlement expansion and attacks on Palestinian communities.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said France had barred Smotrich, four leaders of settler organisations and 21 violent settlers from French territory.

Barrot said Smotrich was actively promoting the annexation of the West Bank, the creation of new settlements, the recolonisation of Gaza and the economic weakening of the Palestinian Authority. He said such a policy could not be accepted by most of the international community, which remains committed to a two state solution.

Britain said it would impose sanctions on six entities and one individual involved in financing, enabling and carrying out settler violence. The package was coordinated with Canada, France and Norway, while Australia and New Zealand published related measures last week.

The sanctions include asset freezes and, where applicable, travel bans and director disqualifications.

The UK Foreign Office also said British businesses were now being explicitly advised against economic and financial activity in illegal Israeli settlements. It said Britain continued to support trade with Israel within the 1967 lines, but that there should be no economic involvement in illegal settlements.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the measures targeted those who “support and sponsor violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank”. She said settler expansion and violence were illegal and threatened the viability of a two state solution.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry rejected the measures, calling them “disgraceful”. It said the sanctions were an attempt to impose a political position on the Israeli Palestinian conflict, presented as action against violence. It also accused the governments involved of failing to combat antisemitism in their own countries, and said such policies fuelled it.

Israel also rejects accusations that its forces shield settlers during attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, saying such incidents are rogue actions that breach military protocol and are investigated.

The latest measures build on earlier sanctions against senior Israeli ministers. Last year, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway sanctioned Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, accusing them of inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. France also barred Ben Gvir from entering its territory last month after his treatment of detained Gaza flotilla activists drew international criticism.

Tuesday’s announcements come alongside a new report by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. The commission said Israeli authorities had enabled settler violence through financial and military support, and that Israeli security forces had protected settlers during attacks. It said settler attacks had risen sharply since 2023.

The same report also said Hamas had committed war crimes against Palestinians and Israelis.

Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank illegal under international law. Israel disputes this.

The joint statement by Australia, Canada, France, Norway and the UK said violent settlers had acted with near impunity, and that settlement expansion and outpost creation continued with the support and facilitation of the Israeli government.

The five countries said they were ready to take further action if Israel did not take urgent steps to address the situation on the ground.