French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced on Saturday that his country is denying entry to Israeli National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir with immediate effect. The decision is a response to Ben-Gvir’s behavior toward French and other European citizens aboard the Israeli-seized flotilla “Global Sumud,” Barrot wrote on platform X.
Barrot condemned the flotilla’s actions as “not helpful” and burdensome for diplomacy, but made clear: “We will not tolerate French citizens being threatened, intimidated, or mistreated in this way – least of all by a state official.” The minister said he would jointly apply for EU-level sanctions against Ben-Gvir with his Italian counterpart.
Poland had already imposed a five-year entry ban on Ben-Gvir. The trigger was a video released by Ben-Gvir himself on May 20, showing him waving an Israeli flag and shouting in Hebrew, “Welcome to Israel, we decide here,” while dozens of activists knelt on the ground.
Source: www.pravda.com.ua
