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France bans Ben Gvir after flotilla activists abuse video
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<span class="field field-title">France bans Ben Gvir after flotilla activists abuse video </span>
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<div class="field field-field-text"><p>France has banned Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir from entering the country after a video was released showing him overseeing the abuse of detained Gaza-bound flotilla activists.</p>
<p>Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the decision followed Ben Gvir's "unacceptable conduct towards French and European citizens" during last week's flotilla raid.</p>
<p>While Paris did not support the activists' mission, Barrot said the treatment they received was unacceptable.</p>
<p>"We cannot tolerate French nationals being threatened, intimidated or subjected to violence in this way, especially by a public official," he wrote on X on Saturday.</p>
<p>Barrot added that Ben Gvir's actions followed "a long series of shocking statements and actions, as well as incitement to hatred and violence against Palestinians".</p>
<p>He also backed calls by Italy for the European Union to impose sanctions on the Israeli minister.</p>
<p>Last week, Ben Gvir released a video showing himself overseeing the mistreatment of hundreds of handcuffed activists seized by Israeli naval forces in international waters as they attempted to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.</p>
<p>In the footage, the national security minister is seen waving an Israeli flag and taunting activists while Israeli officers force detainees to kneel facing the ground.</p>
<h3>Read more: <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/france-bans-ben-gvir-after-flotilla-activists-abuse-video">France bans Ben Gvir after flotilla activists abuse video</a> </h3>
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<div alt="Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir takes part in a Cabinet meeting at the Kirya, which houses the Israeli defence ministry, in Tel Aviv on 31 December 2023 (Abir Sultan/AFP)" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="71d9c32f-56a9-42f8-950d-3f029c493dfa" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"> <img src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/000_B3TZ49G%20%281%29.jpg.jpg" width="1400" height="787" alt="Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir takes part in a Cabinet meeting at the Kirya, which houses the Israeli defence ministry, in Tel Aviv on 31 December 2023 (Abir Sultan/AFP)" typeof="foaf:Image" fetchpriority="high">
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<figcaption>Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir takes part in a Cabinet meeting at the Kirya, which houses the Israeli defence ministry, in Tel Aviv on 31 December 2023 (Abir Sultan/AFP)</figcaption>
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