France on Tuesday banned far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country, the French foreign minister said, slamming him for actively promoting the annexation of the West Bank and the “re-colonization” of Gaza.
“Four leaders of settler organizations, and twenty-one violent settlers” were also banned from French territory, Jean-Noel Barrot wrote on X, condemning a “policy that the overwhelming majority of the international community, firmly committed to the two-state solution, cannot accept”.
In May, France also barred Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who is also affiliated with the far right, from entering its territory.
This comes amid escalating regional tensions, as Israel and Hamas exchange accusations of violating the ceasefire agreement.
Similarly, the UK government on Tuesday urged British businesses and citizens to refrain from conducting financial activities in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank deemed illegal under international law.
“I have strengthened our business risk guidance to make it clear and unambiguous: if you are a British citizen or business, you should not conduct any economic and financial activities in illegal Israeli settlements,” Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told parliament.
“We believe that violent settler groups should not be profiting from the land that they have seized from Palestinians,” Cooper added, saying the Israeli “government has condemned some settler violence, but that rings hollow when there is scant accountability”.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Foreign Ministry denounced a series of sanctions from six Western countries against settler entities in the occupied West Bank for their role in increased settlement building and violence against Palestinians.
“Israel firmly rejects the disgraceful measures adopted by foreign governments against Israeli citizens, entities, and a government minister,” ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein said in a statement.
“The real essence of these steps is the attempt to impose a political stance regarding the right of Jews to settle in the Land of Israel and concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — camouflaged as measures against violence,” he added. (AFP)
