France bars Ben‑Gvir from entry

France barred Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from entering French territory on Saturday, making public a diplomatic penalty that Paris tied to his conduct toward activists detained from a Gaza-bound flotilla. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the ban took effect immediately. Reuters reported Barrot also said France and Italy would push for European Union sanctions on Ben-Gvir. The move came a day after France joined other Western governments in a joint statement condemning Israeli settlement policy in the West Bank and backing a two-state solution. ### Why did France say it was banning Ben-Gvir? Jean-Noel Barrot said on May 23 that Ben-Gvir was “banned from accessing French territory” from that day onward. French officials linked the decision to what Barrot described as Ben-Gvir’s behavior toward French and European activists detained after trying to reach Gaza by sea, according to France 24, AP and Reuters. Itamar Ben-Gvir came under criticism after posting video of detained activists from the flotilla, including people shown kneeling with their hands bound, according to AP and other reports. France said the episode involved French and European citizens. Reuters said Barrot described the step as part of broader anger among governments over the treatment of the flotilla. (france24.com) ### What had France and its allies said one day earlier? A joint statement published on May 22 by the British government and mirrored by French and German official channels said the situation in the West Bank had “deteriorated significantly” and that settler violence was at “unprecedented levels.” The statement said Israeli government policies were undermining stability and prospects for a two-state solution. It said settlements in the West Bank were illegal under international law and cited the E1 area as a particularly serious concern. (apnews.com) The May 22 statement was issued by the leaders of the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway and the Netherlands, with the European Union also named in one official version. The governments said they opposed “any attempt” to connect Jerusalem to Ma’ale Adumim through E1 development. (gov.uk) ### How unusual is this kind of step against a sitting Israeli minister? France made the action public in a direct statement by its foreign minister rather than through an undisclosed visa decision. Reuters described it as a ban on Israel’s far-right police minister, and AP said France cited his “unspeakable” behavior toward flotilla activists. The public nature of the announcement put Paris’s dispute with a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet into the open. (gov.uk) Poland had already begun formal proceedings to bar Ben-Gvir from entry over the same flotilla incident, according to Polish Radio. That report said the Polish move followed international criticism of the video he posted. ### What has Ben-Gvir’s role in Netanyahu’s coalition meant for foreign criticism? (usnews.com) Itamar Ben-Gvir is one of the most prominent far-right ministers in Netanyahu’s coalition and has drawn repeated criticism from European governments over security policy and rhetoric. The joint West Bank statement did not name him individually, but it condemned Israeli government policies and practices and warned against further entrenchment of Israeli control in occupied territory. (polskieradio.pl) France’s separate action moved beyond the multilateral statement and targeted one minister by name. Reuters reported that Paris and Rome would now seek an EU-level response. ### What happens next at the European level? France said on May 23 that it wanted the European Union to consider sanctions on Ben-Gvir. Italy was cited by Barrot as joining that push, according to Reuters, Al-Monitor and other reports. (gov.uk) Any EU action would require discussion among member states through the bloc’s foreign-policy machinery. (usnews.com) The next public marker is likely to come from EU foreign ministers or from member-state statements if Paris and Rome formally table the issue. As of May 24, France’s ban on Ben-Gvir was already in force, according to Barrot’s statement. (france24.com) (usnews.com)