European Sanctions on Smotrich and Ben Gvir: Punitive Measures or Attempts to Cover Up Continued Support?

A group of Western countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway, announced a new package of sanctions targeting settlers and settlement entities, in addition to Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. This step came in response to what these countries described as 'horrific violence' perpetrated by settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, which Israel considered disgraceful and utterly unacceptable measures.

Observers believe that these sanctions, despite their symbolic nature, do not reflect a genuine intention to punish Israel as a state, but rather fall within attempts to hide behind ineffective measures to continue providing financial and military support to Netanyahu's government. The countries that announced the sanctions continue to supply Tel Aviv with necessary equipment, raising questions about the seriousness of their commitment to stopping systematic violations in the occupied Palestinian territories.

In this context, former British MP Claudia Webbe affirmed that Western governments do not ignore violations but refuse to directly punish the Israeli state. Webbe clarified that the continued arming of Israel constitutes a clear violation of international obligations, noting that sanctions should target the entire government and not just individuals or limited-impact settlement organizations.

Reports indicate that Benjamin Netanyahu's government continues to expand the settlement project without regard for international pressure, having approved the construction of 22 new settlement outposts in February alone. Although opinion polls in countries like Britain show widespread public rejection of arming Israel, the official stance remains far from taking actual steps to stop this funding.

For his part, Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative, called on communities and organizations supporting Palestine to intensify pressure on European governments. Barghouti pointed out that Europe contributes about 19% of the weapons used in the war on Gaza, making the current sanctions merely a means to alleviate embarrassment in front of peoples who reject the aggression.

Barghouti believes that what is required of the Palestinian Authority is to exert real pressure to push Europe towards a comprehensive commercial and military boycott of Israel. Sanctions targeting only settlements remain insufficient to protect the two-state solution, which is being slaughtered daily by Israeli policies supported by the occupation army and direct government funding.

In an analysis of the political impact of these sanctions, Israeli affairs expert Dr. Mohannad Mustafa believes that these measures merely harm the 'victim' narrative that Israel promotes internationally. However, they do not fundamentally affect existing policies, as long as strategic and financial American support for settlements continues uninterrupted.

Mustafa explained that punishing ministers as individuals does not necessarily mean punishing the governmental system that legitimizes settlements and provides them with huge budgets. Despite the diplomatic sensitivity shown by Tel Aviv towards these decisions, its commercial and economic interests with the European continent still exist, as Israel exports a quarter of its production to European markets.

On the ground, Paris had prevented National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir from entering its territory last month due to his involvement in incitement and harassment of activists. Ben Gvir and Smotrich are key pillars of the current government coalition, and both adopt extremist positions calling for the displacement of Palestinians and the expansion of Israeli control over the entire West Bank.

Other countries such as Ireland, Spain, and Slovenia joined the list of countries that imposed restrictions on the entry of these ministers, a step reflecting the widening gap between Tel Aviv and European capitals. However, this diplomatic ban remains below Palestinian expectations, which demand comprehensive economic sanctions and a complete ban on arms exports.

Britain, for its part, recently announced targeting 6 settlement entities and one individual with financial sanctions, warning of further measures if the situation on the ground does not improve. These decisions are based on UN investigations that proved the involvement of Israeli authorities in protecting settler attacks that led to martyrs, injuries, and the displacement of Palestinian families.

In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry sharply attacked these countries, considering that the sanctions aim to impose a political stance on the conflict under the guise of combating violence. Tel Aviv accused Western capitals of failing to protect Jewish communities from 'anti-Semitism,' in an attempt to divert attention from the essence of the violations committed in the occupied territories.

The question remains about the extent to which these escalating European pressures can curb settlement expansion in light of absolute American protection. Agricultural and industrial projects in settlements receive direct funding from American right-wing entities, which reduces the effectiveness of any European sanctions not officially and seriously adopted by Washington.

In conclusion, analysts agree that the shift in the European position, although slow and partial, represents the beginning of the erosion of the international immunity that Israel has enjoyed for many years. But this shift requires a genuine political will that translates individual sanctions into collective punitive policies affecting the joints of the state that manages and supports the settlement and occupation system.

These sanctions reveal the determination of Western countries to hide behind punishing some individuals to continue supporting Israel and supplying it with weapons.