The decision by Paris coincides with increased sanctions by the UK, Canada, and Norway targeting organizations and financial networks linked to settlements and accused of supporting violence in the occupied West Bank.
France has prohibited Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering its territory, becoming the newest Western country to impose direct measures against prominent members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition amid rising tensions over Israeli settlement policies and violence in the occupied West Bank.
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On Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot revealed the ban, accusing Smotrich of advancing policies detrimental to the two-state solution’s prospects. Barrot stated that the minister «actively supports the annexation of the West Bank, which he openly advocates; the establishment of new settlements in the West Bank; the re-colonization of Gaza; the economic breakdown of the Palestinian Authority; and the resulting harmful impact on the Palestinian people.»
«Such a policy is rejected by the vast majority of the international community, which remains firmly committed to the two-state solution,» Barrot expressed on X.
Barrot also confirmed that the restriction includes «four leaders of settler organizations and twenty-one violent settlers».
Israel quickly denounced the announcement. Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein labeled the sanctions as «disgraceful,» calling them an effort to force a political stance on Israel.
«The true purpose of these actions is to impose a political viewpoint regarding Jewish rights to settle in the Land of Israel and concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict— disguised as measures targeting violence,» he stated.
This measure follows shortly after France barred Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir from entering the country. Several EU member states called on the bloc to support France after Gvir shared a video showing detained activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla forced to kneel with their hands tied.
The sanctions mark a tougher approach toward two of the most prominent far-right figures within the Israeli government.
Coordinated sanctions campaign
France’s steps are part of a broader initiative by multiple Western nations to escalate pressure on Israel concerning settlement growth and settler violence in the West Bank.
France, the UK, Canada, and Norway have all announced sanctions targeting individuals and groups connected with settlement activity and violence against Palestinians.
The united approach reflects mounting apprehension among Western governments that ongoing settlement expansion threatens the future viability of a Palestinian state.
In the UK, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper informed parliament on Tuesday that the government is urging British businesses and citizens to avoid financial dealings linked to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
«We consider that violent settler groups should not benefit economically from land seized from Palestinians,» Cooper stated.
«The Israeli government has condemned some settler violence, but such condemnation feels hollow given the limited accountability,» she added.
These new sanctions build on measures imposed last year by Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand against both Smotrich and Ben Gvir, accusing them of inciting violence against Palestinians.
Israel at that time condemned the sanctions as «scandalous».
The coordinated sanctions highlight an increasing readiness among some countries to go beyond diplomatic criticism and enact specific actions against individuals and groups tied to settlement expansion and violence in the occupied territories.
Additional sources • AFP