Canada is imposing another round of sanctions on Israelis accused of "extremist settler violence" in the West Bank and urging more action by Israel — which in turn is accusing Ottawa of fuelling domestic antisemitism.
Israel has occupied the West Bank, which is separate from the Gaza Strip, since 1967, and settlers there have for years been building communities that Canada and many other countries say violate international law.
The 2023 Hamas attack on Israel prompted Israel to bombard Gaza and tighten restrictions in the West Bank, where the United Nations has tracked a large increase in settler attacks on Palestinians.
Canada started issuing sanctions two years ago on settlers accused of egregious acts of violence. Those sanctions have since expanded to include two far-right ministers in the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir both remain in cabinet after both men suggested it would be justified to starve Palestinians, advocated against investigations into military sexual assaults and deployed rhetoric widely seen as promoting ethnic cleansing.
In its fifth round of sanctions on Israeli settlers, issued Tuesday, Canada listed two people associated with construction of settlements and five companies involved in setting up farms and other sites.
They include people and organizations that the U.K. and New Zealand have accused of attacking Palestinians.
Canada says the sanctions are aimed at maintaining the prospect of a two-state solution, which the current Israeli government has rejected.
Canada raised its concerns Tuesday in a joint statement with Australia, France, Norway and the United Kingdom announcing fresh sanctions.
"For too long, violent settlers have been able to act with near impunity, and settlement expansion and creation of outposts continue with the support and facilitation of the Government of Israel. In some cases, settler violence takes place under the protection of Israel’s security forces," the statement reads.
"We stand ready to take more action if the Government of Israel does not take urgent steps to address the situation on the ground."
In a response Tuesday, Israel's foreign ministry said Canada and its peer countries are ignoring antisemitism at home.
"Israel firmly rejects the disgraceful measures adopted by foreign governments against Israeli citizens, entities, and a government minister," says the statement, which the country's embassy in Ottawa forwarded to The Canadian Press in response to Tuesday's sanctions.
"Anti-Israeli policies of the kind adopted today only serve to fuel that antisemitism," it says.
It says the new sanctions are "camouflaged as measures against violence" and that countries should instead sanction the Palestinian Authority over policies Israel claims are exacerbating the conflict.
The Palestinian Authority agreed last fall to various reforms. Canada said there has been progress on those measures, while Israel has said progress has not been demonstrated.
Picture Courtesy: AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean
