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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Emma Graham-Harrison in Jerusalem

Who are Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Israeli ministers facing sanctions?

Bezalel Smotrich Benjamin Netanyahu Israel Itamar BenGvir Baruch Goldstein United Kingdom
Itamar Ben Gvir (left) and Bezalel Smotrich during the swearing-in ceremony of the new Israeli parliament in November 2022.
Itamar Ben Gvir (left) and Bezalel Smotrich during the swearing-in ceremony of the new Israeli parliament in November 2022. Photograph: Abir Sultan/EPA

The two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers facing sanctions from the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway are critical to the political survival of Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

In 2022 Netanyahu formed the most rightwing government in Israel’s history, brokering a coalition with Bezalel Smotrich, whose Religious Zionism party has 14 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, and Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose Jewish Power party has six seats.

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