From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
The Netherlands bans Smotrich, Ben Gvir from entering country, citing support for ‘ethnic cleansing’
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The Netherlands bans far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir from entering the country, as part of a raft of measures to pressure Israel over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Dutch media reports.
In a letter to Dutch lawmakers quoted by local newspaper Algemeen Dagblad, the Netherlands’ Foreign Minister Caspar Valdekamp says the move against Smotrich and Ben Gvir “is because they have repeatedly incited violence by settlers against the Palestinian population and… called for ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip.”
Responding to the ban against him, Ben Gvir writes on X: “Even if I’m banned from all of Europe, I’ll keep working for our country and demanding that we topple Hamas and back our fighters. Our enemies are violent, murderous rapists. But in Europe… the one who goes on the offensive is guilty. In a place where terrorism is tolerated and terrorists are welcome, a Jewish minister from Israel is unwelcome. Terrorists are free and Jews are boycotted.”
Smotrich does not immediately comment.
The ban on Ben Gvir and Smotrich’s entry comes a day after Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof announced that his government was “considering taking national measures” against Israel, in addition to supporting a European Union proposal to partially suspend funding for Israeli researchers.
The Times of Israel Community.