France bans Israeli minister after detainee taunts
France has banned Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, citing his “indescribable” behavior targeting activists detained by police forces from a flotilla bound for Gaza.
French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot called on the European Union to impose sanctions on Ben-Gvir.
“As of today, Itamar Ben-Gvir is banned from entering French territory. This decision follows his unspeakable actions against French and European citizens who were passengers on the Global Sumud Fleet,” Barrot wrote in a post on X. he said.
“We cannot tolerate French citizens being threatened, intimidated or brutalized in this way, especially by a public official.”
The Associated Press requested comment from Ben-Gvir’s spokesman and the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
This week Ben-Gvir sparked global outrage after promoting a video in which he mocked detained flotilla activists.
In one of the clips, Ben-Gvir is seen waving a large Israeli flag over hunched prisoners who appear to have their hands tied.
In another, he taunts a kneeling detainee with his wrists zipped up and yells at him, “Am Yisrael Chai” — Hebrew for “the nation of Israel lives.”
In the third, detainees can be seen resting their foreheads on the floor of an outdoor pen as the Israeli national anthem plays and armed guards surround them.
Foreign leaders and even coalition partner Netanyahu condemned Ben-Gvir’s on-camera treatment of some 430 flotilla detainees.
In his post, the French minister also criticized the flotilla activists who tried to break through Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza.
“We do not approve of this fleet’s approach, which produces no beneficial effect and places an additional burden on diplomatic and consular services,” Barrot wrote.
