France condemns West Bank violence and defends sanctions against Israeli minister Ben-Gvir
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French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot condemns West Bank settler violence against Palestinians and says it justifies France's sanctions against Israeli police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. He writes on X that the situation is 'utterly disgraceful' and reiterates that France may impose new sanctions on settlers involved in violence. Israel's foreign ministry has rejected the coordinated measures announced in June.
Key Facts
- Barrot condemned violence in the West Bank on August 19 and said it justified France's sanctions against Israeli police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
- France announced in May that it was banning Ben-Gvir from French territory.
- Britain, Canada, France and Norway announced coordinated sanctions in June against Israeli networks involved in financing, enabling and carrying out West Bank violence.
- Israel's foreign ministry rejected the June measures and said the governments imposing them had failed to control antisemitism and were fuelling it with such sanctions.
- Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have settled among millions of Palestinians in land Israel captured in the 1967 war, and most countries and U.N. bodies consider the settlements a violation of international law.
West Bank Violence
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot wrote on X on August 19 that the violence in the West Bank was 'utterly disgraceful' and should fill everyone with revulsion. He said this was why France had sanctioned Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose recent comments he described as 'unacceptable and inhuman'. Barrot reiterated that France could implement new sanctions against Israeli settlers deemed involved in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Sanctions and Reaction
France announced in May that it was banning Ben-Gvir from French territory. In June, Britain, Canada, France and Norway announced coordinated sanctions against Israeli networks involved in financing, enabling and carrying out violence in the West Bank. Israel's foreign ministry rejected the June measures, saying the governments imposing them had failed to control antisemitism and were fuelling it. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have settled among millions of Palestinians in land captured by Israel in a 1967 war. Nearly all countries and a range of U.N. bodies consider that such settlements violate international law, although Israel disputes this citing historical and biblical ties to the land.
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France condemns West Bank violence and defends sanctions against Israeli minister Ben-Gvir
