Analysis: Are Western sanctions against Israel a "face-saving" ploy?

The recent sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom and its allies against two senior Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Betzalel Smotrich, were widely seen as a belated but important moral stand against the growing extremism within the Israeli leadership.

But behind this sensational move lies a much more calculated and cynical strategy. It is not a genuine response by Western countries to Israel, but merely an attempt to pretend to stand up to atrocities.

These well-planned, limited, and largely ineffective measures reveal a greater truth: Western governments, despite their rhetoric, are still not ready to confront the institutional, social, and political drivers of Israel's apartheid system and genocidal war against the Palestinians.

Sanctions: symbolic actions and criticism "from the sidelines"

In June 2024, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway imposed sanctions against two ultranationalist ministers in the Israeli government, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Betzalel Smotrich.

Previously, this was unimaginable.

However, this "bold" step was perceived by many analysts, especially Israelis, as "childish steps", "cowardice", a "scam" and a deliberate attempt to "let Israel off the hook".

Similarly, the European Union's sudden shift in attitude toward Israel, their condemnatory statements, and their renegotiation of trade agreements, were viewed by many from the outset as a "symbolic" move, a "scripted" one.

Sanctions that were selected and staged with no effect

Experts say that these sanctions are only for the ministers' "statements" and not for their practical actions or decisions. Moreover, these statements only concern the West Bank and not Gaza.

This is how Western countries differ: these two ministers are extremists, but the Israeli government and army can be protected from sanctions. If, in addition to the West Bank, their statements regarding Gaza were taken into account - for example, their statements about dropping a nuclear bomb, starving, destroying the land, or displacing the population of Gaza - then the entire government, including Benjamin Netanyahu, his security cabinet, and the military leadership, would have to be blamed.

Also, if the sanctions had included practical actions - for example, if they had been introduced to expand illegal settlement areas - this would have affected the entire state machinery.

If Western countries were truly concerned about such actions, they would implement the International Court of Justice's July 2024 ruling that the Israeli occupation is illegal, ban the import of goods from the illegal settlement territories, and impose sanctions on companies there.

Actual ineffectiveness and "gift" measures

The two ministers who were sanctioned rarely travel to the West and do not hold any assets there. Therefore, these sanctions are not practical, but rather "PR" in nature, intended simply to "pacify the public."

For example, the UK's temporary suspension of negotiations for a new trade deal with Israel was done only to save face. At the same time, the British Prime Minister pressured the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court not to issue a warrant against Netanyahu.

EU trade deal "review"

After Israel completely cut off humanitarian aid to Gaza in late May, the EU launched an EU-Israel investigation to determine whether Israel had violated its human rights obligations.

Announced a "review" of the Association Agreement.

This is the third review in 12 months. Two previous reviews have found Israel guilty but no action has been taken. EU foreign policy chief Kaya Kallas said behind closed doors that "you would have to be crazy to think that Israel is not violating human rights."

At the same time, it was stated that no clear and written report would be prepared - only verbal results would suffice. This is done to avoid creating any obligations.

Recognizing Palestine is just an unachievable threat

The issue of recognizing Palestine as a state has been raised many times. Saudi Arabia has also put pressure on European countries on this issue. However, France has made this recognition conditional on the complete disarmament of Hamas, its withdrawal from Gaza, and its exclusion from the Palestinian political process.

France has found an excuse not to recognize Palestine because Hamas does not accept these conditions, promising to disband only after the end of the Israeli occupation.

Why has the West's position changed?

In May 2025, Western countries unexpectedly made critical statements against Israel. Germany, unable to remain silent until the end, said, "This war can no longer be justified."

This means that the atrocities committed by Israel have changed public opinion, thereby increasing public pressure on EU leaders.

Second, Israel's leaders, believing themselves to be completely immune from punishment, have now begun to speak openly about committing genocide, embarrassing even their strongest supporters in the West.

As one EU diplomat put it, Israeli leaders are now not only committing their war crimes, but also openly advocating for them. This makes it inevitable that Western countries will no longer turn a blind eye.

Conclusion: Theater, but not justice

Ultimately, the sanctions against Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, the EU's flawed inspections, the stalled trade talks, and the empty threats to recognize Palestine are not real change. They are simply maintaining the current status quo.

The West is defending apartheid and colonialism by making symbolic gestures directed against individuals, not society. They should target actions rather than words, institutions rather than individuals.

Otherwise, all of this is just a political stage play—a theater played to save face and deny the truth.

Muhammad Shekhada, Palestinian writer and analyst, Head of EU Relations at Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor

https://www.newarab.com/analysis/why-western-sanctions-israel-are-face-saving-manoeuvre