The government insists sanctioning Israel is too complex so close to an election. But New Zealand also has obligations under international law it shouldn’t ignore.
Articles on Sanctions
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The Trump administration is trying every tactic to get Iran to capitulate, but there is only one path forward for both sides.
With the declining power of financial sanctions, many countries are now physically boarding ships to enforce scattershot rules of trade, conflict and commerce.
For some central banks, stores of gold can offer a shield against financial sanctions.
A strong deal would build in real penalties for going back to war: automatic, reversible costs that fall on anyone who restarts the fighting.
Behind the difference looms the specter of Russia, which each side sees in increasingly opposing terms.
US sanctions on foreign nations have lost some of their power to influence the behavior of other nations – with increasing costs for the US to boot.
Cut off from the world’s main financial messaging system, Russia turned to a domestic alternative. But research shows it fell far short of replacing the global financial network.
North Korea was behind a $1.5 billion digital bank heist in February 2025. Other countries are similarly stealing crypto to fund nefarious activities.
Venezuela relies on the black-market oil trade for a large chunk of its revenue. US enforcement actions may push down the price it can charge, further squeezing the country’s economy.
Iran has sought to bolster its economic and security relationships on the continent after a punishing year both at home and in the Middle East.
The Russian president has long seemed able to persuade Donald Trump to his point of view. The Ukrainian president appears to be catching on.
The good news: at least the US is acting against Russia.
Trade between Russia and US has fallen 90% since 2021 – blunting the impact of any proposed tariffs or sanctions.
Trump’s threat of new sanctions has not caused concern in Moscow.
Europe has the means to prevent further suffering in Gaza, but political will is lacking.
This is a momentous development. But what are sanctions anyway, and what do they mean for Israel’s Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich?
Australia has imposed country-wide sanctions on Russia, Myanmar and Iran. Calls are growing for stronger action on Israel, including an arms embargo.
The tension comes as the prime minister prepares to leave for the G7 summit at the end of the week.
When foreign firms divest and sell their assets off cheaply, sometimes it’s the sanctioned regime that benefits.
Top contributors
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Professor of Law, University of Waikato
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Professor of War and Technology, University of Bath
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Henry J. Leir Professor of Practice in Economics of the Middle East, Brandeis University
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Professor of Government, Wesleyan University
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Professor of IPE, Director of City Political Economy Research Centre (CITYPERC), City St George's, University of London
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Professor Emeritus, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame
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Associate Professor of Instruction in the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies, University of South Florida
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Visiting Research Fellow, King's College London
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Co-Director of the Centre for Russian, European and Eurasian Studies, University of Birmingham
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Assistant Professor of Political Science, Old Dominion University
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Teaching Assistant Professor, East Carolina University
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Visiting Fellow, Tax and Transfer Policy Institute, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
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Doctorante en histoire des relations internationales, Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain)
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Adjunct Professor, Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney
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Professor in International Relations, University of Sussex