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France bans Israeli security minister Ben Gvir from country
Short Url https://arab.news/2zz53 Updated 55 min 55 sec ago AFP May 23, 2026 12:27 France bans Israeli security minister Ben Gvir from country French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot also calling for EU-level sanctions against the far-right minister Updated 55 min 55 sec ago AFP May 23, 2026 12:27 PARIS: France announced on Saturday it had banned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir from the country after he posted a video mocking bound activists seized by Israeli soldiers on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. “From today, Itamar Ben Gvir is banned from entering French territory” after “his reprehensible actions toward French and European citizens” who were part of the flotilla, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on X. He added that, with Italy, he was also calling for European Union-level sanctions against the far-right Ben Gvir.
France bans Israeli minister Ben-Gvir after Gaza flotilla activists ...
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, reflecting the growing anger among many governments across the world over the treatment of Gaza flotilla activists. "As of today, Itamar Ben-Gvir is banned from entering French territory," wrote Barrot on X (formerly Twitter). "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". Activists detained after attempting to breach Israel’s naval blockade to deliver aid to Gaza have accused Israeli forces of beatings, taser attacks and other forms of abuse, including rape, during and after the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters. The flotilla, consisting of around 50 boats, was intercepted about 400 kilometres off Israel’s coast, with nearly 430 people detained. Activists, journalists and at least one Italian lawmaker were taken to military vessels and later transferred to Ashdod port in southern Israel, where several alleged they were assaulted while being held in containers. Some detainees were hospitalised with injuries, while at least 15 people alleged sexual assaults. Israel rejected the accusations, with Israeli Prison Service spokesperson Zivan Freidin calling them “false and entirely without factual basis”. Reuters said it could not independently verify the claims. The detained activists were deported on Thursday and arrived in Turkey and several European cities wearing grey sweatsuits and Arab kaffiyehs. Turkish flotilla board member Zeynel Abidin Ozkan alleged that detainees were dragged, beaten and threatened with dogs after refusing to sign documents presented by Israeli authorities. “We faced periods where we couldn't stand, our heads were bowed to the ground, we were dragged and pulled by our hair. The handcuffs left serious marks on us,” he said. Christopher Boren, an activist from Hawaii, claimed officers repeatedly punched him in the face after ...
France bans Israeli minister Ben-Gvir, urges EU to sanction him
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir takes part in a Cabinet meeting at the Kirya, which houses the Israeli Ministry of Defense, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Dec. 31, 2023. (AFP Photo) France has banned Israeli security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from access to French territory, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Saturday, adding that the decision reflected anger over the treatment of Gaza flotilla activists. "As of today, Itamar Ben-Gvir is banned from entering French territory. This decision follows his unspeakable actions toward French and European citizens who were passengers on the Global Sumud Flotilla," the French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, announced in a post on X. "We cannot tolerate that French nationals can be threatened, intimidated or brutalized in this way - all the more so by a public official," Barrot posted, calling on the European Union to also sanction Ben-Gvir. The Associated Press has sought comment from Ben-Gvir's spokesperson and the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This week, Ben-Gvir sparked global outrage after promoting a video of himself taunting detained flotilla activists. In one clip, Ben-Gvir is seen waving a large Israeli flag over hunched-over detainees whose hands appear to be bound. In another, he taunts a kneeling detainee whose wrists are zip-tied, yelling "Am Yisrael Chai" at him - Hebrew for "The nation of Israel lives." In a third, detainees can be seen - foreheads to the floor of an outdoor pen - as the Israeli national anthem plays and armed guards encircle 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 was also critical of flotilla activists, who were attempting to breach Israel's naval blockade of Gaza. "We disapprove of this flotilla's approach, which produces no useful effect and places an additional burden on diplomatic and consular services," Barrot wrote.
Far-right Israeli minister Ben-Gvir banned from French territory, FM ...
France has decided to ban Israel's Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from access to French territory, said Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Saturday, adding that the decision reflected anger over the treatment of Gaza-bound flotilla activists. "As from today, Itamar Ben-Gvir is banned from entering French territory," wrote Barrot on X. To display this content from X (Twitter), you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. "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. Some of the activists have alleged they were beaten and sexually assaulted by Israeli security forces while in detention. Freed Gaza flotilla activists allege Israeli abuse including rape To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. © France 24 03:47 Ben-Gvir's conduct was rebuked by both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the United States, Israel's main ally and backer. Netanyahu said Ben-Gvir's conduct was "not in line with Israel's values and norms". The flotilla's activists, whose vessel was stopped and boarded this week in international waters by Israeli naval forces as they tried to deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip, have subsequently been deported from Israel. In his post, the French minister was also critical of flotilla activists, who were attempting to breach Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza. “We disapprove of this flotilla’s approach, which produces no useful effect and places an additional burden on diplomatic and consular services," Barrot wrote. (FRANCE 24 with Reuters and AP)
