Key facts
- Senior German lawmakers are urging the EU to sanction Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
- Ben-Gvir called for nightly targeted killings in Gaza, stating some people "are not worthy of life."
- Lawmakers from the CDU/CSU, Social Democrats, The Left, and AfD have condemned the remarks and called for sanctions.
- Germany has previously resisted EU measures targeting Israel.
- EU sanctions require unanimous agreement, giving Germany significant influence.
Senior lawmakers within Germany's governing coalition have called for the European Union to impose sanctions on Israel's Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, following his recent remarks advocating for targeted killings in Gaza. Ben-Gvir, leader of the far-right Jewish Power party, stated in a podcast that "targeted killings should be carried out in Gaza, remove 30, 40 [people] every night," and that some individuals "are not worthy of life."
These comments have drawn strong condemnation from across the German political spectrum. Jürgen Hardt, foreign policy spokesperson for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, described Ben-Gvir's remarks as "inhumane" and urged the EU to sanction him as a symbol of universal human dignity and rights. Adis Ahmetović, the Social Democrats' foreign policy spokesperson, echoed this sentiment, calling for sanctions against both Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Similar calls for sanctions or an entry ban were made by Dietmar Bartsch of The Left and Markus Frohnmaier of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Green MP Marlene Schönberger labeled Ben-Gvir a "far-right extremist."
The statements represent a notable shift for Berlin, which has previously opposed EU measures targeting Israel, including proposed sanctions on Ben-Gvir in June and restrictions on trade with West Bank settlements. EU sanctions require unanimous approval, giving Germany considerable influence. However, the German government has not yet officially followed the lawmakers' lead, with the Foreign Ministry declining to comment. Some within the government reportedly fear that sanctioning Ben-Gvir shortly before Israel's October 27 election could inadvertently benefit him. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is scheduled to meet with his EU counterparts in Ireland on September 1 and 2, where Ben-Gvir's remarks and the ongoing conflict in Gaza are expected to be prominent topics.