Israeli ministers urge sanctions on Britain over Falkland Islands dispute
Israeli officials called for Israel to sanction the United Kingdom in response to Britain’s planned trade ban on Israeli settlements, linking the issue to the contested sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.
Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and security minister Itamar Ben Gvir said Israel should impose sanctions on the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands dispute, after Britain announced a forthcoming ban on trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Smotrich called for the expulsion of the British ambassador, stating Israel would not be a "doormat of an antisemitic government" and referencing the historic British Mandate. Ben Gvir posted on social media in Spanish, urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recognise Argentina’s claim to the islands and to sanction Britain while the "occupation" continues.
The British government is preparing to unveil a set of measures targeting Israeli settlements, including a trade ban, which Israeli officials say prompted their retaliatory remarks. Israel’s foreign minister previously warned that any British action against Israel would be met with a response.
Argentina and the United Kingdom both claim sovereignty over the South Atlantic archipelago, though the majority of the islands’ 3,600 residents support British rule. Argentine President Javier Milei recently declared that Argentina’s sovereignty had been violated and warned of sanctions against oil firms operating near the islands. The United States has also weighed in, with President Donald Trump indicating he would not support Britain in the event of an Argentine invasion.
Relations between Israel and Britain have been strained, and both sides have signalled that tensions could rise further.