New Zealand bans entry of extremist settlers

New Zealand on Tuesday announced travel bans on three extremist Israeli settlers over their role in expanding illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the ban applies to Israelis Itamar Yehuda Levi; Harel David Libi; and Eliav Libi, stating that they “have actively worked to expand illegal settlements in the West Bank, including through violence.”    

Peters said: “The actions of these individuals threaten peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians and drive the region further into crisis.”

He stressed that “New Zealand has consistently stated that Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are a violation of international law.”

“Expanding settlements, and the violence that accompanies it, undermines prospects for a two-state solution,” Peters said, stressing that his country “continues to call for a two-state solution, a position shared by the overwhelming majority of the international community.”

The occupied West Bank has seen a continued escalation in attacks by Israeli forces and settlers since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023.

READ: EU considers sanctions on Israeli ministers over Gaza aid flotilla treatment: Report