French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot cited the minister’s “unspeakable actions” toward French and European nationals involved in the “Global Sumud” flotilla to justify the measure.

Poland also intends to declare the Israeli Minister persona non grata “due to his behavior”.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that he had called on the European Union -whose Foreign Ministers are to meet in June- to impose  sanctions against Ben Gvir.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has announced on Saturday that Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir is banned from entering French territory.

He cited the minister’s “unspeakable actions” toward French and European nationals involved in the “Global Sumud” flotilla to justify the measure.

“As of today, Itamar Ben-Gvir is barred from entering French territory,”said on social media.

At issue is a video which circulated on social media showing  Ben-Gvir standing among pro-Palestinian activists who were bound and on their knees after being detained by the Israeli navy.

According to Barrot, while French diplomacy “disapproved of the flotilla’s initiative, which serves no useful purpose” and overburdens consular services, Paris “cannot tolerate French nationals being threatened, intimidated, or brutalized in this manner, especially by a public official.”

According to information provided earlier this week by the Quai d’Orsay,

37 French nationals participating in the flotilla were detained in Israel before being deported and repatriated via Istanbul, according tot he Quai d’Orsay, the French foreign ministry.

Barrot also called for sanctions at EU level against Ben-Gvir, a European-level sanctions against the Israeli Minister of Internal Security.

Poland and Italy also reacted to the video released by te Israeli minister. The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it intended to declare Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir persona non grata “due to his behavior”.

“Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has decided to submit a request to the Ministry of the Interior to ban Minister Ben Gvir from entering the territory of the Republic of Poland due to his behavior,” his spokesperson, Maciej Wewior, told the press.

The ministry summoned the Israeli chargé d’affaires in Warsaw to demand an “apology” following the arrest of members of the Gaza flotilla, among whom were two Poles.

In Rome, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated on X that he had called on the European Union -whose Foreign Ministers are to meet in June- to impose  sanctions against Ben Gvir “for the unacceptable acts committed against the flotilla, including the capture of activists in international waters and the harassment and humiliation to which they were subjected, in violation of the most fundamental rights.’’

European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a statement: ‘’The treatment of the Global Sumud flotilla activists, amongst them EU citizens, was degrading and wrong.’’

“Israeli Minister Ben Gvir’s conduct is unbecoming of anyone holding office in a democracy,” she added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rebuked his minister, stating that the maneuver was not “in line with the values” of the State of Israel.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar criticized the video, saying that Ben-Gvir had ‘’undermined Israel’s diplomatic effort.’’