France has announced a ban on far‑right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering French territory, citing his past inflammatory remarks about Palestinians and growing concerns over human rights violations in the occupied territories.
The French Foreign Ministry on Tuesday declared Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich persona non grata on French soil, in a move that underscored Paris’s hardening stance toward far‑right figures within Israel’s governing coalition. Officials said the decision was driven by “repeated incitement and statements incompatible with France’s values,” referencing Smotrich’s denial of the existence of the Palestinian people and his support for settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.
Although Smotrich has previously travelled to Paris for private and political events, his visits have become increasingly controversial, drawing protests from human rights groups and Palestinian solidarity organizations. In 2024, rights organizations had prepared to lodge legal complaints in France accusing him of complicity in serious violations against Palestinians, prompting him to cancel a planned trip amid mounting legal and diplomatic pressure.
The French ban comes days after Paris barred Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir from entering the country over what it called his “unacceptable” treatment of French and European activists detained during a pro‑Palestinian flotilla to Gaza. By extending measures to Smotrich, France is signaling that its response will not be limited to a single minister but could widen to other officials accused of incitement or rights abuses.
Smotrich has long been a polarizing figure in European capitals, where diplomats and lawmakers have condemned his rhetoric as racist and destabilizing. Last year, several countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, Australia and New Zealand, imposed travel restrictions or sanctions on Smotrich and Ben‑Gvir, accusing them of encouraging violence against Palestinians in the occupied territories.
In Jerusalem, Israeli officials criticized the French move as “discriminatory and political,” warning that such bans would strain bilateral ties at a sensitive time for regional security. Supporters of Smotrich framed the decision as part of a broader European campaign to “delegitimize” Israel’s right‑wing government, while opposition voices inside Israel said the ban reflected the international damage caused by extremist policies toward Palestinians.
