THE Republic of Ireland has banned two far-right Israeli minister from entering the country.
Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and finance minister Bezalel Smotrich have been banned over their "behaviour" towards Palestinians, the Taoiseach told journalists.
“Their behaviour, not just in the context of the flotilla, but their consistent statements in terms of Palestinians have essentially amounted to a desire to see the elimination of Palestinians from Palestine,” Micheal Martin told reporters, according to UK newspaper The Independent.
On Friday, the Taoiseach told the EU-Western Balkans summit in Montengro that the Israeli ministers' actions and words "amount to a desire to see the elimination of Palestinians from Palestine".
He added that the EU should introduce further measures against them. France, Spain and Italy have also called on the EU to sanction Ben-Gvir.
"That's again something that the international community needs to take on board and we will be pursuing that with others," Martin added.
"In my view, their behaviour justifies sanctions at EU level as well, and that's something that we will raise, whether we can get sufficient support across the European Union is a different matter."
In a statement, a spokesperson for Irish Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan, said the travel bans are in place after they were agreed by the Irish Government outside of a Cabinet decision this week.
It said the Justice Minister had "instructed immigration officers to refuse entry to Itamar Ben-Gvir the minister for national security of Israel, and Bezalel Smotrich, the minister for finance of Israel, should they seek to enter".
Ben-Gvir and Smotrich were both sanctioned by the UK last year.
In March, Ben-Gvir was seen waving a champagne bottle in the Knesset after the passing of a death penalty law for Palestinian detainees who have been convicted as "terrorists".
He sparked fury in May after sharing a video showing him brutally harassing activists who had taken part in a flotilla to Gaza.
Footage showed flotilla activists with their hands tied behind their back and forced to kneel as their heads touch the floor, while Ben-Gvir can also be seen taunting, laughing, and waving a giant Israeli flag.
France announced it had banned Ben-Gvir from entry after the video emerged. The US, UK, Italy and Canada were among countries who expressed outrage.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu relies on Smotrich and Ben-Gvir to maintain his fragile coalition government.
Netanyahu criticised Ben-Gvir's actions who said they were "not in line with Israel's values", but he is still in post.
He was widely condemned for the footage, which has now sparked a number of diplomatic incidents.
Smotrich approved the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. He also campaigned against allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza.
“Gaza will be entirely destroyed,” he said last year, adding that Palestinians will “leave in great numbers to third countries”.
Ben-Gvir has advocated for the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, and said that the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem should be replaced with a synagogue.
“There is no need to bring in aid [to Gaza]. They have enough,” he said in early 2025.
Ben-Gvir also said that the decision to resume aid deliveries was a “serious and grave mistake”.
Australia, Norway, Canada and New Zealand imposed sanctions on Ben-Gvir and Smotrich alongside the UK for "repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities".
They were banned from entering the UK and any assets were to be frozen.
The move to ban Ben-Gvir and Smotrich came as Israel carried out another air strike in Gaza, despite the ceasefire that has been in place since October last year.
