CAIRO, June 11 – Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit said Wednesday that a joint decision by five Western countries to sanction two Israeli ministers is “welcomed.”
Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have been put on a travel ban by Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and Britain for repeatedly inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, said a joint statement by the five countries’ foreign ministers on Tuesday.
According to an AL statement released Wednesday, Aboul-Gheit described the ban as “significant” to holding officials in the government of the occupying country accountable for engaging in “an obvious incitement of violence” and condoning Israeli settlers who attack Palestinians in the West Bank with impunity.
He said the sanction uncovers the criminal acts of far-right government officials committing war crimes and widespread violations of international humanitarian law in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The action is an important step toward rebalancing the international stance on war crimes against Palestinians and taking practical measures to hold the perpetrators accountable, said the statement.
XINHUA
