Italy formally asks EU to impose sanctions on Israeli minister Ben-Gvir
Italy has filed a formal request asking the European Union to add Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to its joint sanctions list after his treatment of detained Gaza aid flotilla activists, with the request to be debated at June's EU Foreign Affairs Council.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told a press conference in Rome on Thursday that the government had sent a formal letter asking the European Union to add Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to its common sanctions list. The letter was delivered to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas.
The request followed the Israeli interception off Cyprus of an aid flotilla heading for Gaza and the release of a video in which Ben-Gvir addressed handcuffed activists. 'It is not compatible with the values of the EU-Israel partnership for a minister to publish such images,' Tajani said. Ireland, Spain, Belgium and Slovenia have already said they will back Italy's request.
Kallas confirmed that the proposal would be tabled at the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 16 June. Adoption requires unanimous consent from all 27 member states, and objections from Hungary and the Czech Republic are likely. Israel's foreign ministry described the sanctions request as 'detached from reality'.
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