Ireland has imposed an entry ban on two Israeli far-right ministers, accusing them of playing an instrumental role in the unrest in Gaza.
Ireland's Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan “instructed his officials to prohibit any travel into Ireland” for both Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
Prime Minister Micheal Martin said statements that the have made about Palestinians “essentially amount to a desire to see the elimination of Palestinians from Palestine”.
“In my view their behaviour justifies sanctions at EU level as well," he added. "And that’s something that we will raise, whether we can get sufficient support across the European Union is a different matter.”
Mr Ben-Gvir is Israel’s National Security Minister, while Mr Smotrich is the country’s Minister for Finance. Both have been placed under sanctions by the UK for “inciting violence against Palestinian people”.
Mr Martin also referred to Mr Ben-Gvir’s behaviour towards activists who were held after Israeli forces intercepted an aid flotilla heading to Gaza last month.
Fourteen Irish citizens, including President Catherine Connolly’s sister, were among those taken to Israel, detained and subsequently deported.
There was international condemnation of a social media video, posted by Mr Ben-Gvir, showing him walking among some of the detainees and saying they should remain in prison for a long time.
The video also contained footage of some people kneeling on the ground in tightly packed groups with their hands tied behind their backs.
The Irish leader said further EU measures introduced against Israeli leaders would be welcome.
"That's again something that the international community needs to take on board and we will be pursuing that with others," he said.
In France, anti-terrorism prosecutors said they had opened a preliminary investigation into suspected torture and war crimes over the alleged mistreatment by Israeli authorities of French nationals who were part of the flotilla.
Last week, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot filed a judicial complaint to the public prosecutor after receiving a report from the French consul general in Turkey about Israel’s ill-treatment of the French activists.
The report, Mr Barrot said, contained allegations of "sexual violence, exposure to cold, beatings, and repeated humiliations of French nationals — all acts that could constitute criminal offenses.”
