Lawmakers from across the German political spectrum are calling for EU sanctions against Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir following his recent remarks regarding Gaza.

Senior lawmakers from Germany's governing coalition and opposition parties are urging the European Union to sanction Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir. The calls follow comments Ben-Gvir made in a podcast last Saturday, in which he advocated for nightly targeted killings in Gaza. The push for sanctions represents a shift in Berlin, which has previously resisted EU measures targeting Israeli officials.

Controversial Remarks Spark Condemnation

In a podcast episode, Ben-Gvir, who leads the far-right Jewish Power party, suggested that targeted killings should be carried out in Gaza to remove dozens of people nightly, including those who do not pose an immediate threat. He further stated that some individuals in Gaza are "not worthy of life."

Broad Political Support for Sanctions

Jürgen Hardt of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group stated that the EU should sanction Ben-Gvir to uphold human rights. Social Democrat Adis Ahmetović also urged the German government to support sanctions against both Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Similar condemnation came from The Left’s Dietmar Bartsch, the Green Party’s Marlene Schönberger, and the far-right Alternative for Germany party’s Markus Frohnmaier.

Government Stance and EU Policy

While lawmakers are pushing for action, the German government has not yet adopted their position. The Foreign Ministry declined to comment on Monday, and some officials reportedly fear that sanctioning Ben-Gvir shortly before Israel's October 27 election could be counterproductive. EU sanctions require unanimous support, meaning Germany’s position remains critical to any potential bloc-wide action.