All posts tagged: Jean-Noël Barrot

France bans Israel’s Ben-Gvir from entry – POLITICO

France bans Israel’s Ben-Gvir from entry – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The activists have since said they have been mistreated at the hands of Israeli soldiers, describing beatings, tasers and attack dogs. Israel has denied mistreatment, calling the allegations “false and entirely without factual basis.” With his statement, Barrot joined a growing chorus of European leaders who are calling for EU sanctions against Ben-Gvir. “Like my Italian colleague, I call on the European Union to also impose sanctions on Itamar Ben-Gvir,” Barrot said in the social media post. But Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka on Wednesday vowed to block sanctions on Israeli government ministers, which require unanimity among the EU’s 27 member states. Last year Ben-Gvir was sanctioned by the U.K., Canada, Australia, Norway and New Zealand over what those governments described as his repeated incitement of violence against Palestinians. Source link

France bans far-right Israeli minister Ben-Gvir from French territory

France bans far-right Israeli minister Ben-Gvir from French territory

Published by Sam Flores

France has ​decided to ​ban Israel’s Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from ​access ‌to ⁠French territory, said Foreign ‌Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on ⁠Saturday, adding that the decision reflected ​anger over ‌the treatment of Gaza-bound flotilla activists. “As from today, ‌Itamar Ben-Gvir is ​banned from entering French territory,” wrote Barrot on ​X. To display this content from X (Twitter), you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Accept Manage my choices “Along with ​my Italian ​counterpart, I am ​asking the European Union to also take sanctions against Itamar ⁠Ben-Gvir,” he added. Western governments have voiced ‌outrage after Ben-Gvir posted a video of himself taunting Gaza-bound ​flotilla activists being pinned to the ground. Some of the activists have alleged they were beaten and sexually assaulted by Israeli security forces while in detention. Israeli minister Ben-Gvir banned from entering France To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Accept Manage my choices One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need …

EU formally green-lights sanctions against Israeli settlers – POLITICO

EU formally green-lights sanctions against Israeli settlers – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The sanctions target individuals linked to violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, but several member countries are already pushing for tougher measures. France and Sweden are backing restrictions on trade with settlements, while broader proposals such as suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement remain deeply divisive inside the bloc. “We had discussions on the trade issues, limiting trade with the illegal Israeli settlements,” Kallas told reporters after the meeting. “There was a call by many member states to take this forward, so we will continue to work with the Commission on presenting proposals.” Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand, who was in Brussels to attend the Foreign Affairs Council, told POLITICO that Ottawa is also “considering additional actions that we may take” against settlers. Israel swiftly pushed back against the EU sanctions. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar slammed the decision as “arbitrary and political,” accusing the EU of targeting Israeli citizens “because of their political views and without any basis.” “Israel has stood, stands, and will continue to stand for the right of Jews to settle in …

EU foreign policy shambles triggers calls for radical overhaul of diplomacy – POLITICO

EU foreign policy shambles triggers calls for radical overhaul of diplomacy – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Frustration at the deadlock is spilling into the open, with a growing group of countries led by Germany and Sweden pushing to severely limit — or totally scrap — national vetoes that allow a single capital to block action. “We should abolish the unanimity principle in the EU in foreign and security policy before the end of the current legislative period so as to be better capable of acting internationally and to be truly grown-up,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Saturday, according to the German Funke Group. “All the experience that we have gained over recent weeks with aid for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia indicate this.” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul takes part in a press call after the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in France on March 27. | Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images Last month, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that discussions about using qualified majority voting to make foreign policy decisions would “come up again” among leaders. The push comes as Hungary — less than a week out from its …

France advising Bahrain on UN resolution to open Strait of Hormuz – POLITICO

France advising Bahrain on UN resolution to open Strait of Hormuz – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot met with his Bahraini counterpart as well as other senior Gulf region officials on March 25 to “share observations” which aim to “maximize the likelihood of the text’s adoption and subsequent implementation,” one of the diplomats said. French President Emmanuel Macron last month called for the U.N. to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz. France is one of the European countries leading Europe’s response to the Iran crisis via a combination of military pledges — Paris has vowed to send warships to the Strait once fighting has died down — and diplomatic efforts via the United Nations thanks to its permanent seat on the Security Council. Bahrain has led the push, which aims to get legal cover for an international operation to clear the Strait and coincides with broader talks aimed at building a coalition to secure oil tankers’ passage. The United Kingdom is hosting a virtual meeting on Thursday with 35 countries that could be part of a coalition of the willing to clear the Strait. A fourth senior …

Removing EU flags is ‘betrayal,’ French minister tells far-right mayors – POLITICO

Removing EU flags is ‘betrayal,’ French minister tells far-right mayors – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

He added: “There is no dissolution of national identity in European identity, any more than our local identities fade behind our national identity.” In Carcassonne in southern France, National Rally Mayor Christophe Barthès on Sunday filmed himself removing the EU flag from the balcony of the town hall and posted it on his X account. “Out with European flags at town hall! In with French flags,” he wrote. Bryan Masson, the newly elected mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer, also in southern France, posted a photo of his office displaying a dozen French flags but no EU flag. And Carla Muti, mayor of Canohès, also posted a video of herself taking down an EU flag. Removing or replacing EU flags has become an established procedure among Euroskeptic leaders. When Poland’s right-wing Prime Minister Beata Szydło took office in 2015, she removed the EU flag from the backdrop of her government’s press room. Source link

France warns Israel against Lebanon ground offensive – POLITICO

France warns Israel against Lebanon ground offensive – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Barrot praised Lebanon’s government for expelling the ambassador of Iran, calling the move “courageous” after Hezbollah — backed by Tehran — fired rockets into Israel earlier in March. Israel subsequently re-invaded Lebanon, having pulled back in 2024 after a short conflict during which it also targeted Hezbollah. “I want to commend the statements and actions of the Lebanese government … which this morning took a courageous decision by deciding to expel the Iranian ambassador,” Barrot said, adding Hezbollah had “dragged the country … into a war.” Barrot’s warning follows a visit to Lebanon and Israel last week, where he pressed interlocutors from both countries on the risks of further escalation. His comments come as Western leaders harden their message to Israel. In a joint statement from mid-March, the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the U.K. warned that a major Israeli ground offensive would have “devastating humanitarian consequences” and risk prolonging the conflict, urging a political solution. Israel’s operations in Lebanon continued, however. More than a million people in southern Lebanon have fled their …

US strikes on Iran ‘outside international law,’ says Macron – POLITICO

US strikes on Iran ‘outside international law,’ says Macron – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

While German Chancellor Friedrich Merz did not leap to the defense of his Spanish counterpart at the White House press conference where Trump made his trade threat, Macron now seems to be aligning more closely with Sánchez’s view of the illegality of the war. Despite Trump saying he believes the fight will last a matter of days or weeks, Macron during his speech warned that the conflict does not have an obvious end in sight. “Strikes will likely continue in the coming days to weaken Iran and destroy its counterattack capabilities. And in response, Iranian strikes in the whole region are expected to continue,” Macron said. To protect French interests in the Middle East, Macron said that the Charles de Gaulle, the country’s only aircraft carrier, was being deployed to the Mediterranean alongside fighter jets and air defense systems. “We will continue this effort as long as it is needed,” he said.  Macron also confirmed that France had sent anti-missile systems to Cyprus, as previously reported by POLITICO. Source link

How every EU country responded to the strikes on Iran – POLITICO

How every EU country responded to the strikes on Iran – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran risk another Iraq-style quagmire, but said Berlin won’t lecture Washington as it seeks U.S. help to end the war in Ukraine. The German leader is set to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday. Merz also stressed that despite U.S. efforts, Iran hasn’t agreed to a nuclear deal or committed to reducing its missile program. Merz’s warnings against protracted conflict were later echoed by British PM Keir Starmer during a video address. Starmer gave more detail on the extent to which the British government is willing to help the U.S. and Israel in the conflict, albeit in a defined and limited manner, than the initial E3 statement cowritten with Germany and France. Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stressed the safety of Greeks in the region and the need for effective control of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, according to local media. Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Hungary is raising its counterterrorism level and used the strikes on Iran as a chance to talk about the …

France abandons plan to demand Albanese resign at UN meeting – POLITICO

France abandons plan to demand Albanese resign at UN meeting – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

But the speech of France’s Permanent Representative Céline Jurgensen at a meeting of the UNHRC on Wednesday contained no such call for Albanese’s resignation. Jurgensen only referred to “repeated and extremely problematic statements by a United Nations Special Rapporteur,” and called on special rapporteurs to “exercise the restraint, moderation, and discretion required by their mandate.” During his Feb. 11 speech in France’s National Assembly, however, Barrot had said that Albanese’s “provocations call for only one response: her resignation. And it is in these terms and with this firmness … that France will speak … during the session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.” Asked about the change in position, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux referred POLITICO to earlier comments by Barrot, and said that in the minister’s view, “repeated provocations from Mrs Albanese warranted for her to have the dignity to step down.” Albanese is a controversial figure due to her outspoken comments against Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, violence by Israeli settlers, and various other activities by the state of Israel …