New Zealand imposes travel bans on three Israeli settlers

New Zealand has imposed travel bans on three Israeli settlers accused of involvement in violence and settlement expansion in Judea and Samaria (the “West Bank”), marking the latest step in Wellington’s increasingly critical approach toward Israeli settlement activity.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced that New Zealand would join partners including Australia and the European Union in barring three individuals from entering the country.

The individuals named are Itamar Yehuda Levi, Harel David Libi, and Eliav Libi.

“These travel bans are targeted at three individuals who 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.”

Peters emphasised that the measures were directed at specific individuals rather than the Israeli state.

“Our travel bans are not about the Israeli people, nor the Israeli Government. This action is against three individuals whose use of violence and displacement is destabilising the West Bank,” he said.

The announcement continues a pattern of increasing diplomatic pressure from New Zealand and several Western partners regarding Israeli settlement activity and settler violence in Judea and Samaria.

New Zealand has long maintained that Israeli settlements in territories captured during the 1967 Six-Day War are contrary to international law and has consistently supported international initiatives critical of settlement expansion. Wellington was also a co-sponsor of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 in 2016, which declared Israeli settlements to have “no legal validity.”

The latest move, however, represents a shift from diplomatic criticism toward direct sanctions against named individuals.

While the practical impact of the travel bans may be limited, the decision carries symbolic and diplomatic significance. New Zealand has previously imposed targeted travel bans against individuals accused of undermining democracy or engaging in violence in countries including Russia, Belarus, Myanmar and Israel.

The announcement is likely to draw mixed reactions in New Zealand. Some observers may welcome efforts to address criminal violence regardless of the perpetrators involved. Others are likely to question whether New Zealand applies comparable standards to Palestinian actors involved in violence, incitement, or support for terrorism.

The New Zealand Government has repeatedly condemned Hamas’s October 7 attacks and has designated Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist organisation. However, Wellington has not announced equivalent travel bans against individual Palestinian figures linked to terrorism, incitement, or the Palestinian Authority’s controversial prisoner payment programme.

Supporters of the government’s position argue that the travel bans address specific acts of settler violence and are consistent with New Zealand’s long-standing opposition to settlement expansion.

Critics contend that focusing punitive measures exclusively on Israeli actors risks creating a perception of unequal treatment at a time when terrorism, hostage-taking, and incitement remain central obstacles to peace.

In his statement, Peters reaffirmed New Zealand’s commitment to a negotiated two-state solution.

“Only a negotiated two-state solution will secure peace, safety, and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians alike,” he said.

The travel bans take effect immediately.