DUBAI: Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for the immediate expulsion of the UK Ambassador to Israel Simon Walters, as Britain said it would institute sanctions on Israel. It was announced on Tuesday that the UK would impose a new set of sanctions on Israel including a ban on products from illegal settlements in occupied territories in the West Bank.

Smotrich, reacting to the UK’s imminent decision, stated in a post on social media platform X that Israel would not be a “doormat” to what he regarded as the “antisemitic” government of the UK.

“Expel the British ambassador tonight! 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 declared. He further added: “The British mandate in the land of Israel is over.”

Meanwhile, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged the recognition of Argentine sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, which are administered by Britain but claimed by Argentina. Ben-Gvir claimed that the UK government was exploiting oil resources around the islands.

The UK is set to announce the sanctions, framed as support for a two-state solution, later today. UK foreign minister Ed Miliband had indicated a change in policy direction, underscoring the UK’s stance on a prospective two-state outcome. The sanctions focus on a trade ban on goods from Israeli settlements, though the overall impact on the £6 billion ($8.12 billion) annual bilateral trade is expected to be minimal. The U.S. is likely to oppose these sanctions, and some in Israel have already reacted angrily.

At the core of the issue is the E1 settlement project, which the UK and other western politicians argue would disrupt land sought by Palestinians for statehood. Despite criticism from various international bodies and countries, Israel maintains that the West Bank territory is disputed, asserting historical claims.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, having discussed Middle Eastern issues with U.S. President Donald Trump, emphasized the significance of a two-state solution. Meanwhile, British Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden reiterated that expanded settlement activity in recent months was the catalyst for the sanctions.

Spain, Ireland, and the Netherlands have also moved to ban goods from West Bank settlements, reflecting growing international condemnation of Israeli settlement expansion.

Despite tensions, McFadden affirmed that Israel remains an essential trading partner, and there would not be a boycott of all Israeli goods.