Israeli media: Ben Gvir cancels his visit to New York for fear of arrest news

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed that National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir canceled a scheduled trip to New York to participate in the United Nations Police Chiefs Summit, in light of fears that protests would be organized against him by human rights groups, in addition to increasing demands for his arrest and investigation.

According to Ministry of National Security sources quoted by the newspaper, the decision to cancel the visit came after internal security and political estimates indicated the possibility that Ben Gvir would face widespread protests in the United States, in addition to legal pressures linked to calls to prosecute him against the backdrop of his positions and policies.

Media reports had previously reported that Ben Gvir had canceled his visit to the United States, but no extended official comment was issued from his office regarding the reasons for the cancellation.

Hind Rajab Foundation welcomes…

The Hind Rajab Foundation commented on the news of the cancellation of Ben Gvir’s visit, welcoming what it described as a development that reflects the impact of its efforts and the efforts of other human rights organizations to legally prosecute Israeli officials on the international scene.

The Foundation said in a statement that it “welcomes reports that Israeli Minister Ben Gvir has canceled his visit to New York following the legal prosecution brought against him by our Foundation and other human rights groups,” adding that “Israeli political and military leaders have always traveled around the world expecting impunity, but this matter is beginning to fade.”

The organization added that canceling the visit of an Israeli minister due to the possibility of facing a criminal investigation reflects that accountability efforts have begun to achieve tangible results, considering that legal restrictions and human rights pressures have begun to affect the movements of Israeli officials at the international level.

The Foundation indicated that this development comes within a broader context of legal prosecutions targeting Israeli political and military figures, stressing its continued work with international human rights bodies to advance the paths of investigation and accountability.

It is noteworthy that Ben Gvir was banned from entering France and Ireland at the end of last May, after he published a video recording showing the abuse of detained activists from the “Resilience Fleet” kneeling with their hands tied after they were intercepted at sea, and placing them in detention in southern Israel, which sparked international condemnation.

Several countries, including France, Spain and Italy, called for European sanctions to be imposed on him. The judicial authorities in Italy and France also announced the opening of investigations against him on charges of torturing activists.