Israeli minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir cancels US trip after visa difficulties

Israel's national security minister and leader of the far‑right Otzma Yehudit party, Itamar Ben‑Gvir, called off a planned family visit to the United States. The trip, which was to include his wife and children and to attend the wedding of the daughter of Miami‑based Israeli businessman Jacob Ilharar, was originally to be funded by Ilharar under a private‑sector sponsorship scheme. A licensing committee raised legal and ethical concerns, prompting Ben‑Gvir to withdraw his request for a state‑sponsored visa. He later announced he would finance the journey himself, estimating costs in the tens of thousands of shekels and expecting a state‑paid security detail.

Despite holding a diplomatic passport, Ben‑Gvir was required to appear at the US embassy for fingerprinting – an unusual step for a minister. He had previously sought a postponement of a defamation lawsuit against the newspaper Haaretz, for which an Israeli court imposed a fine of 12,500 shekels. Several countries, including France, have previously barred him from entry due to his controversial statements about the Gaza conflict.