‘Outrageous’ US, Israel slam Australia over sanctions
Source: Sky News Australia
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has accused Australia of forgetting who its “real enemy” is, after it joined four other nations in sanctioning two hardline Israeli government ministers.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced the targeted sanctions early on Wednesday, in a joint statement alongside her counterparts from Canada, New Zealand, Norway and Britain.
The measures, which include travel bans and financial sanctions, are against National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who have been accused of inciting “extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”.
Ben-Gvir, from the Jewish Power party, and Smotrich, of the Religious Zionism Party, are members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government.
“These two ministers have been the most extremist and hard line of an extremist settler enterprise, which is both unlawful and violent,” Senator Wong told ABC television.
“Australia can’t shift the dial on the Middle East by ourselves.
“What we can do is act with others, and that’s what we’ve done.”
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Rubio posted the official US reaction on X, condemning the sanctions imposed by Australia and its co-signatories.
“These sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war,” he wrote.
“The United States urges the reversal of the sanctions and stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the sanctions “outrageous” and said his government would meet early next week to decide how to respond to the “unacceptable decision” made by the five countries.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, however, said the reactions from the US and Israel were “predictable, frankly”.
“We’ve continued to engage with the Israeli government. Israeli government does need to uphold its obligations under international law,” he said.
“Some of the expansionist rhetoric that we’ve seen as well is clearly in contradiction of that from these hardline right-wing members of the Netanyahu government.”
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Wong said the US and Australia remained aligned on strategic interests, despite their differences.
“We will continue to be part of the international call for aid to enter [Gaza] unhindered, unimpeded,” she said.
“That is Israel’s obligation.
“We will continue to advocate for a ceasefire and the return of hostages, and we will continue to condemn Hamas and its terrorist ideology.”
At Parliament House later, Wong said the sanctions followed months of coordination.
“This action is the result of many months of effort and coordination. And together, these countries are sending a message: You have ignored the international community and we do not tolerate it,” she said.
The joint statement on the sanctions said the two ministers’ extremist rhetoric pushing for the “forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous”.
“These actions are not acceptable,” the ministers said.
The Australian Jewish Association said it was appalled by the federal government’s actions and accused it of antisemitism.
“This action represents a hostile and unjustified attack on a democratic ally and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms,” it said.
“This government’s willingness to engage with authoritarian regimes, including Holocaust deniers like Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, while targeting the world’s only Jewish state, exposes a disturbing double standard.
“There is no other explanation for this disparity than blatant anti-semitism.”
The Australian Centre for International Justice said the decision was a significant step and would send a clear message.
“These measures directly respond to the compelling evidence implicating Ben-Gvir and Smotrich in inciting extremist violence and serious human rights violations against Palestinians,” acting executive director Lara Khider said.
