Archive · 19 Aug 2026
France Links West Bank Violence to Ben-Gvir Sanctions
France says violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank is unacceptable.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said this violence supports France’s decision to sanction Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Ben-Gvir is Israel’s far-right police minister.
France announced in May that he would be banned from entering the country.
France may also sanction settlers accused of taking part in violence.
Britain, Canada, France and Norway announced similar sanctions in June.
Israel rejected those measures.
Israel said the sanctions could increase antisemitism instead of stopping violence.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot condemned violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Barrot said the violence justified France’s sanctions against Israeli far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
France announced in May that Ben-Gvir would be banned from entering French territory.
Barrot said France could impose further sanctions on settlers involved in West Bank violence.
Israel rejected coordinated sanctions announced by Britain, Canada, France and Norway, saying they fuel antisemitism.
- Who
- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israeli settlers and Palestinians.
- What
- France condemned West Bank settler violence and defended sanctions against Ben-Gvir, while warning that further sanctions could follow.
- When
- Barrot made the comments on Aug. 19; France announced the ban on Ben-Gvir in May, and coordinated sanctions were announced in June.
- Where
- The violence occurred in the West Bank; the statements and sanctions involved France and other countries.
- Why
- France said the sanctions were justified by violence against Palestinians and comments by Ben-Gvir that Barrot called unacceptable and inhuman.
French and Allied Position
Israeli Government Position
Whether sanctions are justified
French and Allied Position
France says violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and Ben-Gvir’s comments justify sanctions and potentially additional measures against involved settlers.
Israeli Government Position
Israel rejected the coordinated sanctions and said the governments imposing them were fuelling antisemitism.
Status of Israeli settlements
French and Allied Position
Nearly all countries and a range of United Nations bodies consider the settlements to violate international law.
Israeli Government Position
Israel disputes that assessment, citing historical and biblical ties to the land.
- French foreign minister
- Jean-Noel Barrot
- Israeli minister sanctioned
- Itamar Ben-Gvir
- French measure
- France announced in May that Ben-Gvir would be banned from French territory.
- Possible further action
- France said it could sanction Israeli settlers involved in violence against Palestinians.
- Coordinated sanctions
- Britain, Canada, France and Norway announced sanctions in June against Israeli networks involved in financing, enabling and carrying out West Bank violence.
- Israeli response
- Israel’s foreign ministry rejected the measures, saying they failed to control antisemitism and were fuelling it.
- Settlement context
- Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have settled among millions of Palestinians in land captured by Israel in a 1967 war.