UK and Allies Target Networks Fueling Settler Violence in West Bank
UK and allies sanction networks enabling – Following a joint effort, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, and Norway have implemented sanctions against groups they identify as “networks” that finance and enable assaults on Palestinian civilians by Jewish settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The initiative aims to hold extremist settlers accountable for the alarming rise in violence, as stated by the five nations. France, in addition, has restricted the entry of far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who holds significant influence over settlement policies, which are deemed unlawful by international law.
Israel has criticized these measures as “disgraceful,” labeling them as political acts disguised as efforts to combat violence. The country’s territorial claims in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which Palestinians seek as part of a potential state, have seen the construction of approximately 160 settlements housing 700,000 Jews since the 1967 Middle East conflict. Around 3.3 million Palestinians coexist with these settlements. The escalation of settler attacks has intensified since the Gaza war began in October 2023, following Hamas’s attack on Israel.
UN Records 1,835 Settler Attacks in West Bank in 2025
According to the United Nations, there were 1,835 instances of settler violence against Palestinians in 2025, impacting roughly 280 communities in the West Bank. These attacks led to seven Palestinian fatalities and 832 injuries, marking a 130% increase from the prior year. Settlement expansion has also accelerated since Benjamin Netanyahu’s return to power in 2022, leading to the approval of over 100 new settlements, as reported by the Israeli watchdog Peace Now.
International Response and Condemnation
“For too long, violent settlers have acted with near impunity, and settlement growth continues with the backing of the Israeli government,” declared foreign ministers from the UK, Australia, Canada, France, and Norway in a unified statement. They emphasized that some settler violence occurs under the shield of Israel’s security forces.
The UK’s Foreign Office announced sanctions on six organizations and one individual accused of financing, enabling, or carrying out settler violence. Measures include asset freezes and travel restrictions. One targeted entity supports settler farms and outposts financially, while another has been used to destroy Palestinian land and property. The UK also introduced new guidelines advising businesses to avoid economic ties with illegal settlements.
France and Norway Expand Sanctions
France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot cited Smotrich’s role in promoting West Bank annexation, new settlements, Gaza re-colonization, and the Palestinian Authority’s economic decline as reasons for banning his entry. Norway restricted 20 settlers from entering the country, while Australia coordinated sanctions with New Zealand last week. Earlier this year, the UK, Australia, Canada, and Norway had already sanctioned Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for their alleged incitement of violence against Palestinian communities.
