Israel cancels visas of French MPs ahead of scheduled visit

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Some Israelis and foreign tourists arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport to leave the region, fearing an escalation of tensions and attacks that began early this morning on the Israeli-Lebanese border in Tel Aviv, Israel on August 25, 2024. [Nir Keidar - Anadolu Agency]

Israel has cancelled the entry visas of 27 left-wing French parliamentarians and officials just two days before their planned visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, according to a statement released by the group on Sunday, as reported by France 24.

This development comes shortly after Israel barred two British Labour MPs from entering the country, and amid heightened diplomatic tensions following French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that France would soon recognise the State of Palestine. Macron has also urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address the worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza during the ongoing conflict with Hamas.

Israel’s Ministry of the Interior stated that the cancellations were made under existing legislation, which authorises the denial of entry to individuals deemed to act against the interests of the state.

Seventeen members of the group, affiliated with France’s Ecologist and Communist parties, described the Israeli move as “collective punishment” and appealed to President Macron to take action.

In a joint statement, the group said they had received an official invitation from the French consulate in Jerusalem for a five-day mission intended to “enhance international cooperation and support a culture of peace.”

“Two days before our departure, Israeli authorities cancelled our entry visas, which had been granted a month earlier,” the statement read. “We want to understand what triggered this abrupt decision, which seems to be a form of collective punishment,” they added.

READ: France could recognise Palestinian state ‘in June’: Macron