New sanctions for Russia, yet not even a whisper about Israel – quelle surprise

A raft of new economic sanctions has been announced for Russia. Yet not a peep from the UK government about any punishment for genocide state Israel.

Announced Wednesday as part of the UK’s Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, the sanctions target include oil firms, ports, tech companies, and individuals. The list also includes specific ships.

The ships are part of what is being called the Russian ‘shadow fleet’. Reuters reports:

The new sanctions target 51 ships within the shadow fleet, as well as individuals and entities across sectors including energy and defence.

The shadow fleet has increasingly been the target of sanctions from Britain, the United States and the European Union since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

It is a network of older tankers that officials say are used to avoid sanctions on Russian oil.

Sanctions on Russia, but any sanctions on Israel?

UK sanctions on Israel have been minimal. When they have been placed they have mostly target settlers in the West Bank. That’s good. But on the whole, they ignore the active genocide in Gaza.

June saw Foreign Secretary David Lammy announce asset freezes and other measures on far-right ministers Bezalel Yoel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir:

In their personal capacity, Israeli government ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich are now sanctioned for their repeated incitement of violence against Palestinian civilians, effective immediately.

In 2024, the UK government froze 30 arms export licences to Israel.

However, it was reported that UK military sales to Israel had increased to a record value in 2025.

Channel 4 FactCheck reported:

Our analysis of Israel Tax Authority customs data finds that Israel imported nearly £1 million worth of UK munitions in the first nine months of the year.

That’s more than double the amount received in any of the previous three years.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been rightly condemned by everyone but a few marginal fantasists. Yet Israel, which is actively carrying out the worst crime of the 21st century, has received a mild rhetorical slap on the wrist while arms sales have INCREASED. The UK’s inability to be even-handed in its approach to international law can only be read as yet another sign of its decay and irrelevance.

Featured image via The Canary