The two Israeli mimister can not enter the 29 countries of Europe’s Schengen Area over encouraging settler violence against Palestinians and advocating for “ethnic cleansing in Gaza.”
AMSTERDAM — Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich will be banned from entering the 29 countries of Europe’s Schengen Area over encouraging settler violence against Palestinians and advocating for “ethnic cleansing in Gaza.”
“The cabinet decided to declare the ministers persona non grata,” the Dutch government stated, confirming that the directive has been entered into the Schengen Information System, as quoted by Haaretz.
This obligates border authorities across all member states to deny entry to the two far-right Israeli ministers.
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that the decision came over “exceptional circumstances,” and emphasised that the Netherlands will continue to push for coordinated measures at the EU level.
“The decision is based on their repeated incitement of settler violence against Palestinians, calls for illegal settlement expansion, and advocacy for ethnic cleansing in Gaza,” Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said. Veldkamp resigned in August, saying he could not continue in a government that refused stronger action against Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its settlement plans in the West Bank.
This development followed a similar move by Spain, which also barred Ben Gvir and Smotrich from entering its territory. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares described the move on Tuesday as a retaliatory measure after Israel had prohibited two Spanish ministers from entering Israel just one day earlier over their anti-genocide stance and after Spain announced sweeping measures against Israel, including a total arms embargo, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez saying the move is aimed at “stopping the genocide in Gaza” and “supporting the Palestinian population”.
The Netherlands had previously announced it would ban Smotrich and Ben Gvir from entering the country, saying they “encouraged settler violence against Palestinians” and their roles in the “unbearable and indefensible” situation in Gaza.
In June, Britain, Norway, Australia, New Zealand and Canada imposed sanctions on the two Israeli ministers, accusing them of inciting violence against Palestinians.
In July, Slovenia declared the pair personae non gratae in what it said was a first for a EU country, citing “extreme violence and serious violations of the human rights of Palestinians” with “their genocidal statements”. It also noted that both cabinet ministers “publicly advocate the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the forced evictions of Palestinians, and call for violence against the civilian Palestinian population”.
Last week, Belgium announced that it will impose “firm sanctions” on Israel, including the designation of the two Israeli ministers and “several violent settlers” as persona non grata in Belgium. — QNN
