France says settler violence justifies its sanctions against Israeli minister Ben Gvir

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot condemned on Wednesday violence in the occupied West Bank by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, and added that this justified France's recent sanctions against Israel's far-right police minister Itamar Ben Gvir. "What is happening today in the West Bank is utterly disgraceful and should fill us all with revulsion," Barrot wrote on X. "This is why we have sanctioned Israeli minister Ben Gvir, whose recent comments are unacceptable and inhuman," added Barrot. In May, France announced it was banning Ben Gvir from entering French territory. Barrot reiterated that new sanctions could be implemented against Israeli settlers deemed to be involved in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. 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. Ce qu’il se passe aujourd’hui en Cisjordanie est proprement indigne et devrait tous nous révulser. C’est la raison pour laquelle nous avons sanctionné le ministre Ben Gvir dont les propos récents sont insupportables et inhumains. C'est aussi pourquoi j'ai poussé pour que des… pic.twitter.com/WvBJ7sDZMu — Jean-Noël Barrot (@jnbarrot) August 19, 2026