Israel’s authorities cancelled visas for 27 French left-wing lawmakers and native officers two days earlier than they had been to begin a go to to Israel and the Palestinian territories on Sunday, the group mentioned.
The motion got here solely days after Israel stopped two British members of parliament from the governing Labour celebration from getting into the nation.
It additionally got here amidst diplomatic tensions after President Emmanuel Macron mentioned France would quickly recognise a Palestinian state. Macron has in flip sought to stress Netanyahu over situations in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas warfare.
Israel’s inside ministry mentioned visas for the 27 had been cancelled underneath a regulation that permits authorities to ban individuals who may act towards the state of Israel.
Seventeen members of the group, from France’s Ecologist and Communist events, mentioned they’d been victims of “collective punishment” by Israel and referred to as on Macron to intervene.
They mentioned in a press release that they’d been invited on a five-day journey by the French consulate in Jerusalem.
That they had meant to go to Israel and the Palestinian territories as a part of their mission to “strengthen worldwide cooperation and the tradition of peace”, they added.
“For the primary time, two days earlier than our departure, the Israeli authorities cancelled our entry visas that had been authorised one month in the past,” they mentioned.
“We wish to perceive what led to this sudden determination, which resembles collective punishment,” mentioned the group.
The delegation included Nationwide Meeting deputies Francois Ruffin, Alexis Corbiere and Julie Ozenne from the Ecologist celebration, Communist deputy Soumya Bourouaha and Communist senator Marianne Margate.
The opposite members had been left-wing city mayors and native lawmakers.
The assertion denounced the ban as a “main rupture in diplomatic ties”.
“Intentionally stopping elected officers and parliamentarians from travelling can’t be with out penalties,” the group mentioned, demanding a gathering with Macron and motion by the federal government to make sure Israel allow them to into the nation.
The group mentioned their events had for many years referred to as for recognition of a Palestinian state, which Macron mentioned final week may come at a global convention 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 identical purpose. Britain’s International Secretary David Lammy referred to as the motion “unacceptable”.
In February, Israel stopped two left-wing European parliament deputies, Franco-Palestinian Rima Hassan and Lynn Boylan from Eire, from getting into.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reacted with fury to France’s attainable recognition of a Palestinian state. He mentioned establishing a Palestinian state subsequent to Israel could be a “enormous reward for terrorism”.
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