Israel Revokes Visas for French MPs Supporting Palestine
Left-wing politicians have labeled the restriction as “collective punishment.” Israel has rescinded entry visas for left-wing French lawmakers who advocated for the recognition of a Palestinian state. This decision comes shortly after French...
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Left-wing politicians have labeled the restriction as “collective punishment.”
Israel has rescinded entry visas for left-wing French lawmakers who advocated for the recognition of a Palestinian state.
This decision comes shortly after French President Emmanuel Macron indicated that recognition could occur at an international conference in June, a proposal that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized, describing it as a “huge reward for terrorism.”
The group, consisting of 27 politicians, included members from France’s Ecologist and Communist parties, as well as local officials and mayors. Notable figures included National Assembly deputies Francois Ruffin, Alexis Corbiere, and Julie Ozenne from the Ecologist party, alongside Communist deputy Soumya Bourouaha and Senator Marianne Margate.
These lawmakers announced on Sunday that they had been invited by the French consulate in Jerusalem for a five-day trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories, which they referred to as a mission to “strengthen international cooperation and the culture of peace.”
They stated, “For the first time, two days before our departure, the Israeli authorities canceled our entry visas that had been approved one month ago,” and called the decision “collective punishment.”
Additionally, they described the visa ban as a “major rupture in diplomatic ties” and urged Macron to take action. “Deliberately preventing elected officials and parliamentarians from traveling cannot be without consequences,” they emphasized.
The group asserted that their parties had long championed the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Israel’s Interior Ministry justified the visa cancellation by referencing a law permitting authorities to deny entry to individuals deemed to “could act against the State of Israel.”
Recently, tensions with Western lawmakers have escalated amid increasing criticism of Israel’s military actions against Hamas in Gaza. Earlier in April, two British MPs were denied entry into Israel after being accused of intending to “spread hate speech.” Israeli officials claimed the two had misrepresented their visit’s purpose, while the UK Foreign Office termed the action “unacceptable.”
In a prior incident, an EU parliamentary delegation canceled its planned visit to Jerusalem and Ramallah after entry was denied to French MP Rima Hassan, Irish MP Lynn Boylan, and two EU staffers.
Israeli authorities stated that these individuals had “consistently worked to promote boycotts against Israel in addition to numerous public statements both on social media and in media interviews.”
“The State of Israel is not obligated to allow the entry of any official from a foreign country, including members of parliament, if they work to boycott and undermine its legitimacy,” Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli remarked at the time.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
Israel has rescinded entry visas for left-wing French lawmakers who advocated for the recognition of a Palestinian state.
This decision comes shortly after French President Emmanuel Macron indicated that recognition could occur at an international conference in June, a proposal that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized, describing it as a “huge reward for terrorism.”
The group, consisting of 27 politicians, included members from France’s Ecologist and Communist parties, as well as local officials and mayors. Notable figures included National Assembly deputies Francois Ruffin, Alexis Corbiere, and Julie Ozenne from the Ecologist party, alongside Communist deputy Soumya Bourouaha and Senator Marianne Margate.
These lawmakers announced on Sunday that they had been invited by the French consulate in Jerusalem for a five-day trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories, which they referred to as a mission to “strengthen international cooperation and the culture of peace.”
They stated, “For the first time, two days before our departure, the Israeli authorities canceled our entry visas that had been approved one month ago,” and called the decision “collective punishment.”
Additionally, they described the visa ban as a “major rupture in diplomatic ties” and urged Macron to take action. “Deliberately preventing elected officials and parliamentarians from traveling cannot be without consequences,” they emphasized.
The group asserted that their parties had long championed the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Israel’s Interior Ministry justified the visa cancellation by referencing a law permitting authorities to deny entry to individuals deemed to “could act against the State of Israel.”
Recently, tensions with Western lawmakers have escalated amid increasing criticism of Israel’s military actions against Hamas in Gaza. Earlier in April, two British MPs were denied entry into Israel after being accused of intending to “spread hate speech.” Israeli officials claimed the two had misrepresented their visit’s purpose, while the UK Foreign Office termed the action “unacceptable.”
In a prior incident, an EU parliamentary delegation canceled its planned visit to Jerusalem and Ramallah after entry was denied to French MP Rima Hassan, Irish MP Lynn Boylan, and two EU staffers.
Israeli authorities stated that these individuals had “consistently worked to promote boycotts against Israel in addition to numerous public statements both on social media and in media interviews.”
“The State of Israel is not obligated to allow the entry of any official from a foreign country, including members of parliament, if they work to boycott and undermine its legitimacy,” Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli remarked at the time.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
