France Bans Israeli Minister From Entering Country

France, on Tuesday, barred Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, from entering its territory, the country’s foreign minister announced, accusing him of actively promoting the annexation of the West Bank and advocating the re-colonisation of Gaza.

Jean-Noel Barrot also said “Four leaders of settler organisations, and twenty-one violent settlers” have been prohibited from entering France. He made the disclosure on X, where he condemned what he described as a “policy that the overwhelming majority of the international community, firmly committed to the two-state solution, cannot accept.”

According to the minister, the decision formed part of coordinated measures alongside Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway, targeting individuals linked to the expansion of settlements and violence in the West Bank.

The statement further noted that the measures impose new sanctions on those responsible for “the intensification of settlement-building and violence in the West Bank”.

Smotrich, a member of the far-right Religious Zionist Party, becomes the second Israeli minister to be banned from France in recent months.

Last month, France also barred National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir after he was accused of mocking activists detained by Israeli soldiers from a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to the territory.

Both Ben Gvir and Smotrich are key figures in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition government.

In recent developments, Ireland has also imposed entry bans on the two ministers.

Britain had earlier taken similar action in June last year, with countries including Spain and Slovenia subsequently following suit.