EU fails to agree on sanctions for Israeli minister who humiliated activists

European Union member states were unable to reach a consensus on imposing sanctions against Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir during a meeting on Monday. The proposed measures were a response to a video Ben-Gvir posted on social media in May, which showed him publicly shaming European activists attempting to sail to Gaza.

In the video, filmed at the port of Ashdod after activists were intercepted, Ben-Gvir praised the authorities for their "harsh" treatment of the detainees. Smiling and waving an Israeli flag, he shouted at the activists, "Welcome to Israel. We are the hosts here!" The footage was widely seen as an affront, even by some of Israel's staunchest European allies.

Italy's leadership, for instance, directly criticized Ben-Gvir's actions, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni calling the activists' treatment "an offense to human dignity." Austria, typically resistant to measures against Israel, shifted its stance to support sanctions. Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger stated, "His behavior is inappropriate, especially towards Austrian citizens who participated in the flotilla. I want to make this absolutely clear: he is not welcome here."

However, unanimous agreement was not achieved. The Czech Republic publicly declared its opposition to any sanctions against Israel, with Foreign Minister Petr Macinka stating, "We do not accept any new sanctions or attempts to freeze or restrict the EU-Israel Association Agreement." While the Czech Republic's stance was significant, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen clarified that the failure to reach a decision was not solely due to one country's opposition. Finland, whose government advocated for sanctions, had three citizens among the detained activists. Valtonen described Ben-Gvir's behavior as "downright disgusting" and noted his responsibility for Israel's expanding settlement policy.

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