Far-right Israeli minister calls for UK to be sanctioned over ‘occupation’ of Falkland Islands

Far-right Israeli minister calls for UK to be sanctioned over ‘occupation’ of Falkland Islands Israeli ministers have sided with Argentina again despite Buenos Aires sanctioning an Israeli oil firm - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Israeli ministers have called for sanctions on Britain for its “occupation” of the Falkland Islands amid furious backlash over the government’s plan to sanction Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. British foreign minister Ed Miliband is expected to outline new restrictions on buying goods made in Jewish settlements on Tuesday, which could include sanctions on trade in agricultural settlements. The measures follow a flare up in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, drawing international condemnation, as well as a broader expansion of illegal land seizures, according to Amnesty International. Israel’s far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir hit back at Britain late on Monday, saying it was time for Israel to “publicly recognise that the Malvinas Islands [Falklands] are Argentine territory under occupation”. “The British are not content with merely occupying the territory; they also carry out oil drilling there and steal the money from the Argentine people,” he said. Ben-Gvir called on Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “recognise Argentina’s sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands and to impose sanctions on Great Britain as long as the occupation continues”. Finance minister Bezalel Smotrich also called for the government to expel the British ambassador in a post on social media. “We will not be a doormat trampled by an antisemitic government, in a country conquered by radical Islam, trying to save itself from economic and social decline by attacking Jews and the State of Israel,” he said. “The British Mandate in the Land of Israel is over.” Exactly how the proposed trade ban on the West Bank would operate was still unclear on Tuesday morning. Mr Miliband is expected to make a statement to parliament today. The international reaction follows a surge in reported settler violence in the West Bank. Escalating attacks on Palestinians have fully or partially displaced more than 100 communities since 2023, according to Human Rights Watch, while at least 81 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank since the start of the year. That figure includes at least 23 deaths in the context of settler attacks. Israel has also been accused of escalating a major expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank in recent months. UN bodies and most governments, including Britain, consider the settlements illegal under international law, while Israel argues the region is disputed and asserts Jews have a historical right to the land. Backlash against the land seizures comes as Britain faces down renewed Argentine claims to the Falklands Islands, a long-standing British Overseas Territories over which the two countries fought a war in 1982. Argentine president Javier Milei last week proposed a ‘handover’ of the islands akin to the British transfer of Hong Kong to China, dismissing Britain as a country “in decline”. Buenos Aires escalated its claim on Monday with threats to file criminal charges against the Israeli energy company Navitas Petroleum and its executives for operating around the islands. The Argentine government claims that oil companies drilling in the archipelago have violated Argentine law by holding exploration and exploitation licenses issued by the UK. The Falklands are home to significant oil reserves, including the Sea Lion Field, which was only discovered in 2010 and is expected to start producing from 2028. It is estimated to hold 1.7 billion barrels of oil. Milei has labelled Sea lion a “unilateral and illegitimate” attempt to “advance on resources that belong to Argentina”. The Sea Lion field is operated by Tel Aviv-listed Navitas Petroleum, which holds a 65% stake. Gideon Tadmor, a prominent figure in Israel's energy sector and the company's chairman, holds about 9% of its shares, according to LSEG data. Israel backed Argentina in the war of 1982, providing an estimated $1 billion in arms to the far-right military dictatorship of Leopoldo Galtieri in the run up to, and during, the conflict. Yair Netanyahu, the son of the Israeli prime minister, last week stirred controversy by declaring his support for Argentina’s claim to the Falklands, lashing out at Britain over its “hypocrisy and hostility towards Israel”. He wrote on social media Israel should “stop recognising the Malvinas” only once Britain stops “recognising Palestine”. His post drew criticism from across Britain’s political spectrum, including from Rupert Lowe of the far-right Restore Britain party, who said that it was “entirely legitimate” to question Israel’s official position in light of the comments. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments