Netanyahu Publicly Distances from Ben-Gvir's Flotilla Video; Italy Pushes EU Sanctions as Diplomatic Crisis Deepens

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly stated on May 22, 2026 (Day 954) that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's conduct in posting footage of bound and kneeling flotilla detainees at Ashdod Port was 'not in line with Israel's values and norms.' Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar echoed the rebuke, calling it a 'disgraceful display.' The Times of Israel editorial board published a piece calling on Netanyahu to fire Ben-Gvir but noting he almost certainly would not. Italy's government formally called on the European Union to open discussions on targeted sanctions against Ben-Gvir. Ben-Gvir — who runs the Otzma Yehudit party and chairs the National Security Ministry controlling Israeli police — has faced previous calls for dismissal but remains a key coalition partner. The diplomatic fallout extends beyond the Ben-Gvir video: 10 foreign ministers had jointly condemned flotilla raids as 'blatant violations of international law'; UN human rights experts called for an independent investigation; comparisons to the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident proliferated across European media. The Saudi media outlet Asharq Al-Awsat also reported it had obtained what it described as a near-final draft of a US-Iran nuclear deal — a development tracked in parallel by Israeli intelligence and noted in Israeli media as bearing potential implications for regional security dynamics.