Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called potential US sanctions against him over illegal settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank a “fatal blow to Israeli sovereignty”, Anadolu Agency reports.

“This is an unfortunate decision stemming from internal political needs of those who claim to lead the world’s largest democracy,” said Smotrich, who leads the far-right Religious Zionism Party.

Reports emerged that the White House was considering sanctions against Smotrich due to his efforts to promote illegal settlement activities in the occupied West Bank, according to Israeli Channel 7.