France on Saturday declared Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir persona non grata in response to a film of his visit last week to a detention facility holding anti-Israel activists from France and Europe who’d tried to breach Israel’s Gaza blockade.
“As of today, Itamar Ben-Gvir is forbidden from entering the French territory,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot wrote on X. “This follows his unacceptable actions vis-à-vis French citizens and European aboard the Sumud Global Flotilla,” Barrot added.
Ben-Gvir was filmed visiting the detention facility. When one activist shouted “Free Palestine” at him, she was made to kneel and told to remain quiet by a member of the detention facility personnel. Some of the activists are filmed bowing down, possibly while wearing handcuffs. Ben-Gvir, carrying an Israeli flag, is seen telling a detainee: “Am Israel Chai,” Hebrew for “the People of Israel lives.” He told others: “Welcome to Israel.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar criticized the video, saying that Ben-Gvir had undermined Israel’s diplomatic effort, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Ben-Gvir’s conduct was “incompatible with Israel’s values and norms.”
Barrot wrote that while France opposed the actions of the flotilla organizers, “We cannot tolerate that French citizens are intimidated,” adding, “I demand the European Union also sanction Itamar Ben-Gvir.”
Israel detained several vessels last week carrying hundreds of anti-Israel activists.
The United Kingdom last year declared a ban on Ben-Gvir and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich entering its territory due to their alleged “repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities,” the British government said.
Reached by JNS, a spokesperson for Ben-Gvir said his office had no comment on the French announcement.
Ben-Gvir has defended his actions, telling lawmakers in the Knesset to “stop being so apologetic to terror activists who come here to harm us.”
