Head of Germany's Greens urges country to sanction Israeli minister

The head of Germany's Green Party has called for Berlin to join other countries in sanctioning Israeli far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir over accusations of inciting violence against Palestinians.

Franziska Brantner, who co-leads Germany's second-largest opposition party, accused the two ministers of "openly calling for violence against the Palestinian population and long having propagated a policy of annexation and displacement."

"This costs human lives, displaces entire communities and poses enormous hurdles on the path to a peace process," Brantner told dpa.

Her comments came after the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway on Tuesday announced they have sanctioned Ben-Givr, the security minister in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, and Smotrich, the finance minister.

Ben-Gvir and Smotrich actively support the expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and condone violence by militant settlers against the Palestinian population.

Smotrich recently threatened the "total destruction" of the Gaza Strip, while Ben-Gvir has spoken out strongly against resuming humanitarian aid deliveries to the embattled Palestinian territory.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the five countries accused Smotrich and Ben-Gvir of inciting "extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights."

The British government said that the UK sanctions involve a travel ban as well as the freezing of assets. Norway also imposed a travel ban.

Brantner said if the German government was serious about its proclaimed responsibility for the security of the State of Israel - a policy known in Germany as "reason of state" - as well as for international law, Berlin needed to act in lockstep with its European partners.

"This is the only way a two-state solution can ever have a chance – as a way to ensure a life in security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians."