Germany, France and the UN condemned remarks by Israel's far-right national security minister on Wednesday. Itamar Ben Gvir had declared that Israel should kill "30 or 40" people every night in the Palestinian territory of Gaza.
What did Ben Gvir say about Gaza?
Ben Gvir called for nightly "targeted eliminations" in Gaza during a podcast with a former hostage held by Hamas. He said, "I think targeted eliminations should be carried out in Gaza every night. Take out 30 or 40," adding that those killed "shouldn't be alive."
How have Germany, France and the UN responded?
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz "strongly condemns the inhumane appeals made by Minister (Itamar) Ben Gvir, which violate international law," government spokesman Sebastian Hille said, calling them unacceptable. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot described the remarks as "intolerable and inhumane" in an interview with regional newspaper La Montagne.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the comments "appalling," "outrageous," and "dehumanizing and dangerous," according to his spokesman. German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said Tuesday that Ben Gvir's remarks "must have consequences," and that sanctions were under discussion at the European level.
Could the EU sanction Ben Gvir?
Several European countries have pushed for EU-wide sanctions against Ben Gvir, but the proposal has failed to secure the unanimity required among all 27 member states. Calls to blacklist him grew after he published a video in May mocking bound activists seized by Israeli soldiers on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.
France responded by banning Ben Gvir from entering the country and calling for bloc-wide EU sanctions, but staunch supporters of Israel among member states have refused to back the move. Israel launched its military campaign in Hamas-ruled Gaza after the October 7, 2023 attack by the Palestinian militant group.
What did Germany and France say about West Bank settlements?
Germany also condemned Israeli plans for settlement expansion in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank, saying it jeopardizes the prospect of a two-state solution. "Our message is clear: there must be no further steps toward annexation in the West Bank," Hille said, adding that even structural or political measures pushing toward annexation run counter to that goal.
France's Barrot did not rule out further sanctions on Israeli settlers in the West Bank, who have increasingly harassed and assaulted Palestinian residents in recent months, often to seize their property. "We imposed European sanctions against these settlers for the third time on May 28," he said, adding that "all options are on the table."
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, and settlement expansion has accelerated significantly under the current coalition government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Excluding east Jerusalem, more than 500,000 Israelis now live in West Bank settlements considered illegal under international law, alongside roughly three million Palestinians.
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