Ireland Blocks Israeli Ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich Travel to Republic
Ireland has imposed a travel ban on hardline Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, a symbolic sanction. Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirmed the directive, citing their behavior and statements as justifying broader EU sanctions. Ireland will advocate for EU-level action, despite past failures to achieve unanimous support.
Irish officials have been instructed to block any travel by hardline Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich to the Republic. This constitutes a symbolic but significant sanction against the Israeli government.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirmed the effective travel ban on Friday, stating that Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan had directed his officials to prohibit their entry. Ben-Gvir, Minister for National Security, and Smotrich, Minister for Finance, are known for their outspoken advocacy regarding Israel’s campaigns in Gaza and the West Bank.
Martin, speaking in Montenegro, asserted that the ministers’ behavior justifies broader EU-level sanctions. He described their statements as amounting to a «desire to see the elimination of Palestinians from Palestine.» Ireland plans to pursue this with other nations, though securing unanimous EU support for sanctions remains a challenge.
Recent attempts in Brussels to sanction Ben-Gvir after a Gaza aid flotilla controversy failed due to a lack of unanimous agreement among the 27 EU national governments. Previous efforts were blocked by the former Hungarian government. Discussions among diplomats about sanctioning Ben-Gvir and Smotrich have resumed following a change in government in Budapest.