New Zealand imposes travel ban on ‘extremist’ Israeli settlers
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Wellington: New Zealand has joined Australia and the European Union in imposing travel bans on three Israeli settlers accused of playing leading roles in illegal settlements and violence in the occupied West Bank, signalling growing international pressure over developments in the Palestinian territories.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced sanctions against Itamar Yehuda Levi, Harel David Libi and Eliav Libi, identifying them as key figures linked to extremist settler activity.
“The actions of these individuals threaten peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians and drive the region further into crisis,” Peters wrote on X.
According to the New Zealand government, the activities of these settlers pose a threat to peace, security and prospects for a lasting resolution to the conflict. Wellington maintains that Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory violate international law and undermine efforts to achieve a negotiated settlement.
The sanctions are not directed at the Israeli government or the Israeli public. Instead, they target individuals accused of contributing to settlement expansion and associated violence, which New Zealand believes weakens the possibility of a viable two-state solution.
Reaffirming its long-standing support for an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, New Zealand stressed that a negotiated two-state framework remains the only realistic path to lasting peace, security and stability in the region. The latest measures place Wellington alongside a growing number of Western governments taking action against individuals linked to controversial settlement activities in the occupied West Bank.
