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Ben-Gvir’s Gaza killing call
Israel’s Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir called for “targeted killings” in Gaza in a podcast, saying, “I think there should be targeted killings in Gaza, with 30 to 40 people taken out each night.”
“I think there should be targeted killings in Gaza, with 30 to 40 people taken out each night.”
Germany’s Green Party chair Franziska Brantner urged a travel ban and told Politico, “I urge the federal government to impose a travel ban on this man and to advocate for similar sanctions at the European level,” after Ben-Gvir’s remarks drew condemnation.
German lawmakers across parties pressed for EU sanctions after Ben-Gvir’s comments, with POLITICO reporting that condemnation cut across the Bundestag’s political spectrum.
The remarks were made in the context of Ben-Gvir’s role in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet, and POLITICO described him as the leader of the far-right Jewish Power party.
Le Monde reported that the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s spokesman said the remarks were “appalling. They're outrageous. They're dehumanising, and they're dangerous. And we condemn them unequivocally,” as Germany and France joined the condemnation.
Berlin weighs sanctions
In Berlin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz denounced Ben-Gvir’s statements, and DW quoted a government spokesperson saying, “The chancellor strongly condemns Minister Ben-Gvir's inhumane statements, which violate international law — they are unacceptable,” during a press conference in Berlin.
German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said the remarks “must have consequences,” and POLITICO reported that EU sanctions require unanimity, giving Berlin “considerable sway” over whether the bloc can move.
POLITICO said the Foreign Ministry declined to take a position Monday, while some in government feared sanctioning Ben-Gvir just weeks before Israel’s Oct. 27 election could play into his hands.
France 24 reported that French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned the calls as “intolerable and inhumane,” linking them to ongoing Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank.
Le Monde added that Germany also condemned Israeli plans for settlement expansion in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank, with Sebastian Hille saying, “Our message is clear: there must be no further steps toward annexation in the West Bank.”
Political fallout and next moves
Beyond sanctions, the German government spokesperson Sebastian Hille said Berlin rejected steps toward annexation and also questioned “political, structural or other measures whose impact is increasingly and visibly, toward annexation,” as Canal26 described Germany’s position.
“political, structural or other measures whose impact leads, increasingly and visibly, toward annexation”
Le Monde reported that France said it banned Ben-Gvir from entering the country and said “Further sanctions could be imposed and all options are on the table,” citing Jean-Noël Barrot’s comments.
POLITICO said the proposal for EU-wide sanctions failed to win the required unanimity, and that Ben-Gvir’s remarks and the war in Gaza were likely to loom over discussions when German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met EU counterparts in Ireland on Sept. 1 and 2.
DIE WELT reported that Brantner said “It is time for Germany to join these states,” after several European states including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Spain, France, Italy, and Belgium had already imposed sanctions on Ben-Gvir.
Haaretz framed the political stakes inside Israel by describing a Likud-led Negev town, Arad, as a “case study” of how an ultra-Orthodox minority can exert outsized political power, warning that Israel could be headed there if the current government retains power after October 27.
