Cameron reveals he had planned to sanction Israeli ministers

David Cameron has urged the UK to consider sanctioning two Israeli ministers to “put pressure” on the country to act within international law.

Speaking to the BBC’s Today programme, the former Conservative foreign secretary said before the election, he had been preparing plans to impose sanctions on Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

He described the two men as “extremist” and said sanctions would send a message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that “this is not acceptable and must stop.”

The BBC has contacted Smotrich and Ben-Gvir for a response.

Lord Cameron said both men had encouraged actions like blocking aid convoys to Gaza and supported extreme settlers in the West Bank.

Earlier this year, Smotrich suggested it might be “justified and moral” to starve Gazans, and he has called for Palestinian residents to leave, making way for Israelis to “make the desert bloom.”

Asked why the planned sanctions did not proceed, Lord Cameron, who served as foreign secretary between 2023 and 2024, said he was advised it would have been “too politically sensitive” during the election.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned comments by Ben-Gvir and Smotrich as “entirely unacceptable.” Speaking at a Labour conference event last month, he said: “We are very concerned about escalatory actions and rising tensions. If we need to act, we will act. I’m in discussions with G7 partners, especially in Europe. While I am not announcing new sanctions today, this is under close review.”

Asked about sanctioning the two ministers, Foreign Office minister Anneliese Dodds told MPs that the government keeps its sanctions regime “closely under review” and would announce any changes.

Whitehall sources told the BBC that Lord Cameron’s plan to impose a travel ban and asset freeze on the two men was well advanced. However, the decision was delayed over fears it could inflame political tensions during the general election campaign. There were concerns about triggering violence in constituencies with polarized views on the Middle East.

It is also understood that the United States opposed sanctioning Smotrich and Ben-Gvir at the time, and the UK tends to align sanctions with the US and the European Union for maximum effect.

The Foreign Office does not comment on or predict future sanctions decisions, but some sources suggested any move on this matter could be delayed until after the US election. They added that with limited UK leverage over Israel, domestic political considerations might play a bigger role in the decision-making process.

Labour has already restricted UK arms sales to Israel, restored funding to the UN agency aiding Palestinians, and dropped its opposition to the International Criminal Court seeking an arrest warrant for Netanyahu.

Another decision against the Israeli government could be seen as going too far, and there is concern that sanctions could be viewed as a badge of honour by Smotrich and Ben-Gvir.

Tom Keatinge from the Royal United Services Institute told the BBC that sanctioning Ben-Gvir and Smotrich would be a “significant move” aimed at sending a strong political message to Israel. He also noted that there was no precedent for the UK sanctioning elements of an allied country and highlighted the practical difficulties involved, as the Foreign Office’s sanctions team was already heavily burdened with issues related to Russia.

Lord Cameron argued that the UK should try to influence Israel by restricting certain ministers rather than suspending arms exports, calling the latter a “wrong path.”

Last month, the UK government restricted arms sales to Israel, citing a “clear risk” that the equipment could be used to violate international law. However, Lord Cameron criticized this, saying it made no sense to restrict arms sales to Israel while simultaneously helping to protect the country from Iranian attacks.

He emphasized that everyone wants the conflict to end, but “in a sustainable way,” and affirmed Israel’s right to self-defence against attacks from Hamas in the south and Hezbollah in the north. However, he stressed, “It’s not a blank cheque, it’s not unconditional.”

“We want to ensure aid reaches Gaza, and we want to see the UN’s role in Lebanon respected,” he added.