Two Israeli ministers banned from Ireland after flotilla detainee footage outrage as ‘behaviour justifies sanctions’

IRELAND has issued a travel ban on two Israeli government ministers, the Taoiseach has said.

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan today slapped a travel ban on Israel’s National Security Minister Ben Givr and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

The travel ban comes after Minister Ben Givr released a video on social media that showed him shouting abuse at demonstrators – including Irish citizens – who had been captured by the Israeli Defence Forces on board an aid flotilla headed for Gaza.

The footage sparked widespread condemnation across the globe and featured protestors who were captured in international waters and forced into torture positions by the Israeli military.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin today said Ireland had banned the two Israeli ministers had been banned because of their behaviour and desire to see Palestinian people eliminated from Palestine.

The Fianna Fail leader also called for further sanctions on the Israeli ministers from other EU countries.

He said: “Minister O’Callaghan has instructed his officials to prohibit any travel into Ireland of both Minister Ben Givr and Minister Smotrich.

“Given now that the blockage in terms of the sanctions against settlers, in my view, their behaviour justifies sanctions at an EU level as well.

“That is something we will raise, but whether we can get sufficient support across the European Union is a different matter.

“But their behaviour, not just in the context of the flotilla but their consistent statements in terms of Palestinians essentially amount to a desire to see the elimination of Palestinians from Palestine.”

Spain, France and Italy have all called on the EU to sanction Minister Ben Givr in the wake of the footage of his treatment of the flotilla protestors.