The crisis between Poland and Israel took a sharp diplomatic turn, after Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski announced an official ban on the entry of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir into Polish territory, describing him as “chauvinistic and narcissistic,” and considering that he poses a threat to public order in his country.
In a statement to reporters, Sikorski said, justifying his initiative to ban the entry of the Israeli minister: “He is a chauvinist and a narcissist. Therefore, he represents a threat to public order in Poland.”
The Polish minister explained that Ben Gvir had previously tried to enter Poland, but his request was rejected, adding: “On my initiative, an entry ban was imposed on Mr. Ben Gvir to enter Poland. This is not a theoretical issue. He actually tried to enter the country this year, and we prevented that. Now he has an official ban.”
This escalation came after Ben Gvir published, through his account on the “X” platform, a video clip that included scenes related to the Israeli authorities’ dealings with activists of the “Global Resilience Fleet,” who were arrested while trying to sail towards the Gaza Strip.
The video sparked a wave of widespread European criticism, as Italy and France summoned their Israeli ambassadors against the backdrop of the scenes that were described as insulting to activists of the “Global Resilience Fleet.”
The British Foreign Office also summoned the Chargé d’Affaires of the Israeli Embassy in London, while Australia and Germany condemned Israel’s treatment of the detained activists, describing the measures taken against them as insulting and unacceptable.
The Polish position comes in light of the widening international reactions to the way Israel deals with pro-Gaza activists, which reflects the escalation of diplomatic tension between Israel and a number of Western countries. It also puts Ben Gvir once again at the center of international controversy, due to his hard-line positions and political behavior, which raises increasing objections outside Israel, especially in Europe.
