Should the international community sanction Israel over settler violence in West Bank?

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The problem of Israeli terrorism is getting worse and worse. Just over the past few weeks amongst other things Israeli terrorists have killed multiple people, commited sexual assault, beaten and threatened to rape young Palestinian girls, continually attacked the residents and property of the only remaining fully Christian town in the West Bank, stolen 100s of sheep from the Bedouin community, beaten activists who are there to provide a protective presence to Palestinians, set fire to property.

Palestinians don't have the right to defend themselves from this violent, rapidly escalating Israeli terrorism. They can't arrest and detain the Israeli terrorists. They are sitting ducks with no means of protecting themselves from beatings and sexual violence. Is it time that the international community steps in and sanctions Israel until they can control their obvious terrorism problem? What else can be done to try and protect innocent people from this escalating Israeli violence?

What has happened in Gaza appalls me. The Hamas attack appalls me. The gross lack of compassion unifies the perpetrators who have more in common then they realise. The lack of a coordinated international response horrifies me.

I feel sorry for Jewish people who do not support the expansionist plans and who condemn the death toll - especially the killing of so many innocent families, women and children. I am sure this has made their lives harder. The harm perpetrated on individuals on both sides is unimaginable but the sheer scale of the atrocities perpetrated in Gaza and the targeted attack on support services which then targets the most vulnerable is wicked. I judge anyone who couldn’t weep for the children of Gaza.

@Twiglets1 , "In the meantime, I think it's better to carry on sanctioning guilty individuals and businesses rather than punishing the whole country."

Do you therefore feel that only certain individuals and businesses in Russia should be sanctioned instead of the whole country.

So another poster can call for ethnic cleansing and another post where they openly deny the existence of the Palestinian people and according to MN that is fine. I write a post where I choose my words very carefully not be derogatory or racist in any way simply explaining facts and that gets deleted. What a joke!

If calling posters deluded and various other names is you not bring derogatory I'd hate to see what happens when you're not choosing your words carefully.

There have been posters who have openly said that the state of Israel shouldn't exist and thr population should go somewhere else. Their posts don't tend to get deleted either.

If I made a personal attack, then I understand it being deleted. I did not do that on the last post I made. I haven't seen any posts which said that Israel shouldn't exist. If there were, I would expect them to get deleted as well.

Interesting that some posts got deleted - I didn't report any by the way but personal attacks do tend to get deleted as soon as the mods know about them.

I'm not interested in discussing sanctions with regard to the Russian/Ukraine war @Squeezingwildoranges - for one thing it's way off topic and also I haven't been following that war very closely.

@OpenScroller did not accuse you of antisemitism so it would be pointless to report their post. When you report posts you have to actually provide evidence for the rule break you are complaining about.

But I’m sure @Newbutoldfather is still waiting for your measured reply. So why not give one?

Ben Gvir is still an individual regardless of the the fact he is also Israel’s Minister for National Security. In fact, he and Smotrich have already both been sanctioned as individuals by the UK for "repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities" in the occupied West Bank.

According to a BBC report in 2025, they have both been banned from entering the UK and "will have any assets in the UK frozen as part of the measures announced by the foreign secretary."

Netanyahu has reprimanded Ben-Gvir on occasion such as after he posted videos taunting the detained Gaza-bound flotilla activists, saying his conduct toward detainees ‘is not in line with Israel’s values and norms.’ However, he has tolerated way too much from them and will be punished for it at the polls I believe. He definitely should have reprimanded Ben-Gvir and Smotrich more than he has done.

Moving on to the current situation in Gaza, the trouble with Trump's 15 point peace plan is that Netanyahu never agreed to the terms. In fact he categorically rejected them earlier this month, saying that "Israel rejects the 15-point document," and the Israeli military "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens."

So the US can feel how they want about the disarmament and withdrawal process but unfortunately, without the agreement of both Israel and Hamas on exactly how it is going to work, the plan is currently stalled.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8xgk1ek19lo

I wouldn't know about reporting posts. I wouldn't do it.

There was nothing to report anyway seeing as no one had attacked you.

@Twiglets1 ,

I don’t know if you are Jewish but I am, albeit not religious. I think a really important question Jews outside Israel need to ask themselves is at what point they would condemn Israel, if any. Blindly supporting Israel regardless of what they do or become is, IMO, crazy. It is no different between Moslems giving 7/10 a free pass because of ‘what happened before’. We all need to condemn wrong, regardless of who perpetrates it.

‘Ben Gvir is still an individual regardless of the the fact he is also Israel’s Minister for National Security. In fact, he and Smotrich have already both been sanctioned as individuals by the UK for "repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities" in the occupied West Bank.’

I think this individual sanctioning is a bit of a cop out, to be honest. If a minister speaks, it kind of implies it is government policy. Again, imagine a UK of US encouraging killing and making racist comments and then just treating them as members of the public. It is hard to even conceive of that!

‘Moving on to the current situation in Gaza, the trouble with Trump's 15 point peace plan is that Netanyahu never agreed to the terms. In fact he categorically rejected them earlier this month, saying that "Israel rejects the 15-point document," and the Israeli military "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens."

So the US can feel how they want about the disarmament and withdrawal process but unfortunately, without the agreement of both Israel and Hamas on exactly how it is going to work, the plan is currently stalled.’

If I am not mistaken, Netanyahu did sign up to it. Now he is actually expected to abide by it, he is prevaricating.

If there is one person Netanyahu will listen to, it is Trump. They still rely on the U.S for a lot of high tech arms and, ultimately, actual military support.

I'm not Jewish @Newbutoldfather I'm an English atheist with no link to Israel at all. I don't blindly support Israel and have voiced criticism at various points on MN for Ben Gvir, Smotrich and Netanyahu. I've expressed my opinion that they and individual members of the IDF have likely committed war crimes. I'm also critical of the fact that Israel has withheld humanitarian aid at times and of course I am critical of the settlers. Nevertheless, I felt a great deal of empathy for Israel after 7/10/23 - not because I'm Jewish but because what happened to their citizens re the murders/rapes/kidnappings was enough to elicit a lot of sympathy on a human level. I think some of the criticisms levelled at them are unfair, although I also believe the Israeli response to being attacked became disproportionate.

Netanyahu did agree to the broad outline of the October peace plan, as did Hamas. The first phase (ceasefire, humanitarian actions and the return of Israeli hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners) was more straightforward. The proposed second phase (where we are now), outlined actions to be taken in this order:

1. Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration programme all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbours.
2. A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbours or its people.
3. The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent munitions from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalize Gaza. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties.
4. Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the United States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the IDF will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.
5. In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF.

boardofpeace.org/plans/gaza-peace-plan

I posted a report by Al Jazeera yesterday quoting an unnamed Board of Peace official as saying that an agreement has been reached between Netanyahu and the Gaza Board of Peace delegation led by Jared Kushner.

An unnamed Board of Peace official was quoted by our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic as saying that under the deal, Israeli forces will not be redeployed or removed from Gaza until Hamas is completely disarmed.

He says the Kushner-led delegation and Netanyahu agreed that “all light and heavy weapons and tunnels will be dismantled so that they cannot be used again” by Hamas.

www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/8/17/iran-war-live-tehran-us-mou-set-to-expire-hamass-al-khayya-meets-kushner

@Twiglets1 ,

‘I'm not Jewish ** I'm an English atheist with no link to Israel at all. I don't blindly support Israel and have voiced criticism at various points on MN for Ben Gvir, Smotrich and Netanyahu. I've expressed my opinion that they and individual members of the IDF have likely committed war crimes. I'm also critical of the fact that Israel has withheld humanitarian aid at times and of course I am critical of the settlers. Nevertheless, I felt a great deal of empathy for Israel after 7/10/23 - not because I'm Jewish but because what happened to their citizens re the murders/rapes/kidnappings was enough to elicit a lot of sympathy on a human level. I think some of the criticisms levelled at them are unfair, although I also believe the Israeli response to being attacked became disproportionate.’

I am not trying to tell you how to answer the question, I am merely saying that you need to ask it of yourself and come up with an answer which is in line with your personal views and ethics!

Maybe you don’t think Israel has gone too far yet, but there has to be something they could do which would make you think ‘they have gone too far now’.

I tried to give Israel the benefit of the doubt for a long time but now:

70% of Gaza is Israeli occupied and a no go zone for Palestinians and there is zero meaningful talk coming from Israel about ever giving it back (my bet is that without massive global sanctions, it will be settled, with Netanyahu and Trump both making financial gains in the process).

Israel occupies 5% of Lebanon and is showing no intention of pulling out soon.

About 1% of Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homes in the year to February 2026, and this ethnic cleansing (what else is it?) is rapidly accelerating.

A minister has chillingly called for Israelis to go into The West Bank and execute civilians!!!! (Every exclamation mark called for). I think we all know where that leads.

It seems to me that Israel is pushing to see where the boundaries of what it can do without suffering meaningful consequences are and each time they get away with it, they push further.

So, right now, I unequivocally condemn them as racist and expansionary and feel they need sanctioning severely as a nation.

Would I change my mind in a heartbeat were Israel to change their behaviour (maybe under a new government). Of course I would. Do I think massive reparations need to be paid? Probably not. 7/10 was not a small thing and wrongs exist on both sides. But I would expect Israel to wholeheartedly help with implementing a 2 state solution where everyone could live side by side and achieve their reasonable aspirations.

Since when have doctors been military experts?

I’m a War Scholar. There Is No Genocide in Gaza

HJS-Hamass-Human-Shield-Strategy-in-Gaza-Report-WEB.pdf

Britain’s Military Knows the TRUTH About Gaza – So Why Do Our Leaders Lie? Col. Richard Kemp

Do you know what the leading cause of amputation injuries is in a war?

Landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are among the leading causes of severe injuries, including amputations, in war zones, with civilians disproportionately affected.

@Newbutoldfather OK so we disagree about Israel as a country needing to be sanctioned right now, hardly surprising that opinions differ. For the moment, I am fine with how the UK government is dealing with the issue of sanctions, and with the possible new sanctions likely to be imposed in September according to the source Middle East Eye.

I'm in favour of a 2 state solution too. Unfortunately I think Hamas actions on 7/10/23 probably moved that goal further away not closer to being achieved.

According to Middle East Eye, the UK government is poised to announce a raft of new policies in September, set to include a ban on goods from illegal Israeli settlements.

The Foreign Office is looking at imposing new sanctions on individuals and organisations involved in the settler movement in the occupied West Bank, sources with knowledge of the matter said.

There have also been internal discussions on potential sanctions on more Israeli ministers, after far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich were sanctioned last year.

www.middleeasteye.net/news/uk-ban-israeli-settlement-goods-next-month-government-mulls-further-sanctions-and-arms-sales

@Twiglets1 ,

As I said, it is fine to disagree. That is what politics is, really.

‘According to Middle East Eye, the UK government is poised to announce a raft of new policies in September, set to include a ban on goods from illegal Israeli settlements.

The Foreign Office is looking at imposing new sanctions on individuals and organisations involved in the settler movement in the occupied West Bank, sources with knowledge of the matter said.

There have also been internal discussions on potential sanctions on more Israeli ministers, after far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich were sanctioned last year.’

I think these are total fig leaves and designed for (gullible) domestic consumption only.

What does sanctioning an individual actually mean? It means a travel ban and that they cannot invest in the uk or run a uk company. I don’t think Ben G’vir or Smotrich will be much affected by any of those, and it certainly won’t have any affect on Israeli policy.

And goods from the settlements? Some nuts, some olives and some bath products. The entire exports from the occupied territories, Palestinian and Israeli combined, are less than 2% of Israel’s total exports. So I imagine the settler bit will maybe affect 0.5% of exports, tops.

Well anyway @Newbutoldfather we understand each other's position, not much more to say on the subject I don't think. Thank you for debating politely.

I take the eye witness testimonies of UK doctors on the ground in Gaza and the evidence collated by the United Nations one million times more seriously than the ramblings of a few randoms thanks.

I think that the focus on individuals with sanctions completely ignores the structural mechanisms through which the Israeli state enables and rewards settlement through land allocation,infrastructure, public funding, tax advantages, military protection, legalization mechanisms and in cases of settler violence, inadequate enforcement.

It isn't a case of the 'boys on the hill' and a few individuals who just happen to be government ministers. It's structural mechanisms by the Israeli government which encourages and rewards violence with the aim being expansion of the state of Israel further and further into Palestinian territory.

I completely agree.

Everything is geared towards supporting those who are helping to ethnically cleanse the West Bank.

There are no restraints or consequences whatsoever for their violence and intimidation - only state support and reward.

Innocent farmers and families are being forced from their homes and land whilst the IDF watches - this is genocide.

Randoms?

They've all been in Gaza multiple times. On the ground, and also know what they're talking about.

Two are from the UK and fought in our military.

How do you think these UK doctors stay safe while working in Gaza?

Have you heard any of them mention Hamas?

Hamas who use hospitals as bases?

Do they have invisibility cloaks?

I come back to inherent bias. You are not prepared to investigate anything that challenges yours. I bet you didn't even read the links.

IME someone suffering from inherent bias also has to suspend logic and critical thinking skills.

It's rather rude to call the Hebrew scriptures/ Bible a 'fairy tale book' - especially when the Dead Sea Scrolls prove they are real. You look a bit silly stating that!

Considering one article is from someone embedded with the IDF(and his numbers on civilians have many critics as he is accused of flawed logic and misinterpreting Human Rights )and one is from a pro Israel think tank I'll stick with the doctors. Both these articles have been debated here numerous times.

Anyway to return to.the topic there is a video on Reuters of the American returning to the sieged houses. It's very interesting. It shows how embedded the "settlers" are with the IDF. But also being American he is definitely afforded more tolerance.