France on the 9th of June decided to ban Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country, citing the minister’s support for West Bank annexation, which would undermine the two-state solution, Politico reports.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed the ban in a post on the X, saying Smotrich was actively promoting West Bank annexation and encouraging the establishment of new settler colonies and the recolonization of Gaza. Barrot said it was a political move that was unacceptable to most of the international community, which supports the two-state solution.
France, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the UK (all of which have also banned Smotrich from entering their territories) have issued a joint statement saying they will take action against violent West Bank settlers. While France has imposed an entry ban on Smotrich, four leaders of settler organizations and 21 other individuals, the UK has announced sanctions on six legal entities and one individual who finance, encourage and perpetuate settler violence.
The joint statement said that settlers have been able to act with impunity for too long, and that
the expansion of settlements and the establishment of new ones continue thanks to the support of the Israeli government.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry condemned the statement and the French decision in a post “X”, indicating that it is a disgrace and an anti-Israel policy that will only encourage anti-Semitism.
The new sanctions come at a time when relations between Europe and Germany are at a low point. Many of the country’s historic allies have become increasingly critical of the accelerating pace of annexation of the West Bank and the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Even Israel’s staunch allies, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, have taken increasingly harsh stances in recent months.
Meanwhile, France has also been one of Israel’s most vocal critics. In May, after a video surfaced showing the minister mocking activists on a flotilla seized by the army, Paris banned Israel’s security minister from entering the country.
Read also: EU gives green light to sanctions against violent Israeli settlers