Current sectionIsrael NewsIsrael SecurityIreland urged the EU to sanction Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, while advancing legislation to restrict trade with West Bank settlements. The move comes amid mounting criticism of Israel's handling of detained activists from the Gaza flotilla the IDF took over last monthShare to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeMinisters Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich in the Knesset in November. Credit: Noam Moskowitz / Knesset Press OfficeMinisters Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich in the Knesset in November. Credit: Noam Moskowitz / Knesset Press Office04:34 AM • June 06 2026 IDTIrish Prime Minister Micheál Martin said far-right Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir are banned from entering the country. Ireland is the latest country to bar Ben-Gvir and Smotrich from entering its borders. Other countries that have so far imposed a ban on the two's entry are Britain, Norway, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Spain and Slovenia.The Irish prime minister said Ben-Gvir's and Smotrich's behavior "not just in the context of the flotilla, but their consistent statements in terms of Palestinians, essentially, amounts to a desire to see the elimination of Palestinians from Palestine."According to him, the issue is "something that the international community needs to take on board."Government has introduced travel bans on Israeli Ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich.