Israel Cancels Visas for Dozens of French Lawmakers
Israel's government has cancelled visas for 27 French left-wing lawmakers and local officials two days before they were to start a visit to the occupied territories on Sunday, the group announced.
The action came only days after Israel stopped two British members of parliament from the governing Labour party from entering the occupied territories.It also came amidst diplomatic tensions after President Emmanuel Macron said France would soon recognise a Palestinian state. Macron has in turn sought to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over conditions in the Gaza Strip amid the war.Israel's Interior Ministry announced that visas for the 27 had been cancelled under a law that allows authorities to ban people who could act against "the state of Israel".Seventeen members of the group, from France's Ecologist and Communist parties, said in a statement they had been victims of "collective punishment" by Israel and called on Macron to intervene.They added that they had been invited on a five-day trip by the French consulate in Jerusalem.
They had intended to visit the occupied territories as part of their mission to "strengthen international cooperation and the culture of peace", they added."For the first time, two days before our departure, the Israeli authorities cancelled our entry visas that had been approved one month ago," they said."We want to understand what led to this sudden decision, which resembles collective punishment," the group noted.The delegation included National Assembly deputies Francois Ruffin, Alexis Corbière and Julie Ozenne from the Ecologist party, Communist deputy Soumya Bourouaha and Communist senator Marianne Margate.The other members were left-wing town mayors and local lawmakers.The statement denounced the ban as a "major rupture in diplomatic ties".
"Deliberately preventing elected officials and parliamentarians from travelling cannot be without consequences," the group said, demanding a meeting with Macron and action by the government to ensure Israel let them into the occupied territories.The group added their parties had for decades called for recognition of a Palestinian state, which Macron stated last week could come at an international conference in June.Israeli authorities this month detained British members of parliament Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed at Tel Aviv airport and deported them, citing the same reason. Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy called the action "unacceptable".In February, Israel stopped two left-wing European parliament deputies, Franco-Palestinian Rima Hassan and Lynn Boylan from Ireland, from entering.Netanyahu has reacted with fury to France's possible recognition of a Palestinian state. He noted establishing "a Palestinian state next to Israel would be a huge reward for terrorism".
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