Keir Starmer said at PMQs that he’s “looking at” sanctions on Israeli ministers

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), Lib Dem leader Ed Davey asked Keir Starmer:

Israeli finance minister Smotrich has said that starving two million people in Gaza might be ‘justified and moral’. National security minister Ben-Gvir called settlers who killed a 19 year old on the West Bank ‘heroes’. After my visit to Israel and Palestine… having witnessed the damage that these extremist ministers… are doing I called on the last government to sanction them…. will the prime minister now sanction ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich?

Starmer responded during PMQs that:

We’re looking at that because they are obviously abhorrent comments… along with other really concerning activity in the West Bank but also across the region

NEW: @EdwardJDavey asks if the government will sanction “extremist” Israeli ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich

Keir Starmer responds that ministers are “looking at that”#PMQs @LibDemPress @LibDems https://t.co/zmZC5ZYqkd pic.twitter.com/sSNZFrFosI

— Josh Self (@Josh_Self_) October 16, 2024

The thing is, genocidal extremism in Israel goes beyond these two ministers.

“Textbook” – but not textbook enough for Starmer at PMQs?

Last October, Israeli Raz Segal, an associate professor of Holocaust and genocide studies, asserted that Israel’s assault on Gaza itself is a “textbook case of genocide”.

Segal referred to initial examples of “special intent for genocide”. He included defence secretary Yoav Gallant proclaiming “we’re fighting human animals” and “acting accordingly”. Segal also noted Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari saying “the emphasis is on damage and not on accuracy”.

The genocidal statements only continued. Israeli military general Ghassan Alian then echoed Gallant’s dehumanisation of Palestinian people. Alian said “human animals must be treated as such… there will only be destruction. You wanted hell, you will get hell”.

Former Israeli ambassador to the UN Dan Gillerman also reinforced Gallant’s genocidal racism. He said “I am very puzzled by the constant concern which the world… is showing for the Palestinian people and is actually showing for these horrible inhuman animals”.

Another striking example of genocidal intent was Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself stating in November “you must remember what Amalek has done to you, says our Holy Bible. And we do remember”.

This is a genocidal dog-whistle established on Israel’s far right. The Old Testament reads: “Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys”.

The ICJ case

In July, Spain became the first European country to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In January, the ICJ ruled that it’s “plausible” that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and ordered them to take measures to prevent this.

Now Israel has killed at least 42,979 Palestinian people, including around 16,765 children. But there are thousands more missing or buried under the rubble. And Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, a trauma surgeon who worked in Gaza, has said a group of 45 doctors who were on the ground “all saw evidence of a death toll that is certainly much higher than what is reported by the Gaza Ministry of Health”.

Featured image via Daily Record – YouTube