Former Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have welcomed Trump’s reversal of US sanctions on Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera reports.

“I welcome the historic decision of incoming US President Donald Trump to lift the sanctions imposed by the Biden administration,” Ben-Gvir, former national security minister, said in a post on X.

“This is a righting of an injustice of many years, in which distorted policies were pursued by the American administration and also by local elements who confused lovers with enemies,” he said. “Now, all that remains is to hope for a change in policy towards the terrorist organisation Hamas, in a way that will not allow them oxygen and deals that help them continue their activities.”

Former finance minister Smotrich said on X: “These sanctions were a serious act of blatant foreign interference in the internal affairs of the State of Israel, and harmed the principles of democracy and the mutual relationship between the two friendly countries.”

Addressing Trump, he said, “your firm and uncompromising stand by the State of Israel is an expression of your deep connection to the Jewish people and our historic right to our land”.

Ben-Gvir and Smotrich resigned from the government in protest against the ceasefire deal in Gaza.