Coalition probes Israel sanctions amid AUKUS review

The Coalition is probing if Labor sanctioning senior Israeli ministers is behind a surprise decision from the Trump administration.

The Coalition is questioning if the Albanese government sanctioning two senior Israeli ministers prompted the Trump administration’s AUKUS review.

Australia on Wednesday joined Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the UK in slapping travel bans and financial blocks on Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich “for inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank”.

The move has been criticised by the opposition and condemned by Israel and the US.

It is also the latest sign of a White House increasingly at odds with Canberra on major foreign policy positions.

Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said on Thursday the AUKUS review “came out of the blue and there are very serious questions the government and Defence Minister need to answer”.

Opposition defence spokesman Angust Taylor is questioning if the Albanese government sanctioning two senior Israeli ministers is linked to the Trump administration’s AUKUS review. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“Was the government position on sanctioning two Israeli ministers a contributor to triggering the timing or existence of this review in the first place?” Mr Taylor asked while fronting reporters in Canberra.

“The truth is many things could have triggered this review, I have outlined some, and … there are different views within the United States, the administration, and these things can happen through triggers that happen on the day.

“I do not know the answers, but we deserve answers.”

He added that the opposition “would strongly welcome a briefing” on private AUKUS talks so Labor and the Coalition could “work on a bipartisan basis”.

Sussan Ley has also slammed the sanctions as “counter-productive”.

“It’s unprecedented to, as a government, take actions, sanctions on members of a democratically elected government, and it appears that Penny Wong acted unilaterally on this,” the Opposition Leader told Sky News.

“We want an enduring peace for the people of the region, we all want that more than ever, and the US has explained that these actions are actually counter-productive to securing that ceasefire and that peace, and the government should be paying attention to that.”

Indeed, the Trump administration was scathing in its response to Wednesday’s sanctions, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying they “do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home and end the war”.

Australia is among several Western countries sanctioning Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir (left) and Bezalel Smotrich (right). Picture: Abir Sultan / Pool / AFP

“We reject any notion of equivalence,” Mr Rubio said.

“Hamas is a terrorist organisation that committed unspeakable atrocities, continues to hold innocent civilians hostage and prevents the people of Gaza from living in peace.

“We remind our partners not to forget who the real enemy is.

“The United States urges the reversal of the sanctions and stands shoulder to shoulder with Israel.”

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has defended sanctions, saying the Albanese government “worked very carefully in relation to taking this step over a period of time … in co-ordination with other like minded countries”.

“At the end of the day, we stand for the maintenance of humanitarian law,” Mr Marles said, also speaking to Sky.

“We want to see a ceasefire, we want to see humanitarian assistance flow to Gaza, we obviously want to see a return of the hostages to Israel, and all of us want to work towards a place of peace and that’s the focus of the way in which we’re exercising our international voice.”

He also said he knew about the AUKUS review “for some time”.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says he knew about the AUKUS review ‘for some time’. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The sanctions came after the Israeli government announced last month that it would build nearly two dozen new settlements in the West Bank along a key highway connecting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

It also said it would legalise some settlements built in the Palestinian territory without the green light from the government.

Both Mr Ben-Gvir and Mr Smotrich are also known for their hard-line stances on Gaza, with Mr Ben-Gvir publicly backing forced migration of Palestinians from the war-torn strip.

In a statement, the foreign ministers of the Western sanctioning countries said the penalties “do not deviate from our unwavering support for Israel’s security and we continue to condemn the horrific terror attacks of 7 October by Hamas”.