PARIS, May 23 – France has decided to ban Israel’s far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from access to French territory, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Saturday, adding that the decision reflected growing anger among many governments across the world over the treatment of Gaza flotilla activists.
“As from today, Itamar Ben-Gvir is banned from entering French territory,” wrote Barrot on X.
“Along with my Italian counterpart, I am asking the European Union to also take sanctions against Itamar Ben-Gvir,” he added.
Western governments have voiced outrage after Ben-Gvir posted a video of himself taunting Gaza-bound flotilla activists being pinned to the ground, with some of them later alleging they were physically assaulted in detention.
Ben-Gvir’s conduct was rebuked by both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the United States, Israel’s staunchest ally. Netanyahu said Ben-Gvir’s conduct was “not in line with Israel’s values and norms”.
The flotilla’s activists, whose vessel was intercepted this week in international waters by Israeli naval forces as they tried to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, have been subsequently deported from Israel following their initial detention. REUTERS