Itamar Ben-Gvir is Israel’s far-right National Security Minister [Amir Levy/Getty Images]
France is banning Israel’s far-right and extremist minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, from its territory, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Saturday, adding that this reflected growing anger among governments around the world over the mistreatment of an activist flotilla heading to Gaza.
“As from today, Itamar Ben-Gvir is banned from entering French territory,” Barrot wrote on X.
“Along with my Italian counterpart, I am asking the European Union to also take sanctions against Itamar Ben-Gvir.”
Western governments expressed outrage after Ben-Gvir posted a video of himself taunting activists who had intended to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza, being pinned to the ground.
Activists have since alleged they were subject to abuse by Israeli authorities during their detention, including torture, sexual assault, and rape.
Ben-Gvir 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”.
However, activistts and human rights groups have long stated that Israel’s abuse of detainees is systematic and has become normalised.
Netanyahu is himself wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes perpetrated in Gaza during Israel’s war on the enclave.
Many Palestinians, both from Gaza and from the occupied West Bank, allege severe abuse carried out by Israeli prison authorities under the control of Ben-Gvir.
A spokesperson for Ben-Gvir did not immediately reply to a request for a comment on the French decision.
The activists, whose vessels were intercepted this week in international waters after setting sail from Turkey by the Israeli navy, have been deported from Israel.
They were the second flotilla attempting to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza that was intercepted by the Israeli navy since April.
