Ireland has imposed a travel ban on Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, after the government approved the measure and instructed immigration authorities to deny them entry, Prime Minister Micheál Martin confirmed on Friday.
Martin announced the decision during the EU–Western Balkans Summit in Tivat, Montenegro, stating that the ministers’ actions and rhetoric “amount to a desire to see the elimination of Palestinians from Palestine,” and that their conduct justifies further action at the European Union level. He said Ireland will push for coordinated EU measures targeting both officials.
A spokesperson for Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said the ban was formally enacted earlier in the week, outside a Cabinet meeting, and that immigration officers have been instructed to refuse entry to Ben‑Gvir and Smotrich should they attempt to travel to Ireland.
The spokesperson said the decision aligns with Ireland’s position that Israeli officials who played a central role in “fomenting the unfolding disaster in Gaza” will not be permitted to enter the country.
The move follows a similar step by France, which recently barred Ben‑Gvir from entering its territory after he circulated a video mocking bound activists detained aboard a Gaza‑bound humanitarian flotilla.
France, Spain, and Italy have also urged the European Union to consider sanctions against Ben‑Gvir in response to his conduct.
Ireland’s decision marks one of the strongest actions taken by an EU member state against senior Israeli officials since the start of the genocide in Gaza, reflecting growing European frustration with extremist rhetoric and policies within the Israeli government.
