Why Israel Cancelled Visas Of 27 French Lawmakers Two Days Before Visit

Tel Aviv:

Two days before their scheduled visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, at least 27 French left-wing lawmakers and officials were informed that the Netanyahu government had revoked their visas. The action came amidst diplomatic tensions between France and Israel after French President Emmanuel Macron said Paris would soon recognise a Palestinian state.

The delegation, comprising members of France's Ecologist and Communist parties, was invited by the French consulate in Jerusalem for a five-day trip starting Sunday, reported news agency AFP.

The trip's mission, the group said, was aimed at strengthening "international cooperation" and promoting a "culture of peace."

Israel Cancel Visas

Israel's interior ministry said visas for the 27 had been cancelled under a law that allows authorities to ban people who could act against the state of Israel.

The action came just days after two British members of parliament from the governing Labour party were prevented from entering Israel. British lawmakers Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed were detained at Tel Aviv airport by authorities and deported, citing the same reason. 

At the time, 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.

How Lawmakers Reacted

Reacting to the development, seventeen members of the group, from France's Ecologist and Communist parties, said they had been victims of "collective punishment" by Israel and called on Macron to intervene.

They said in a statement that they had been invited on a five-day trip by the French consulate in Jerusalem.

They had intended to visit Israel and the Palestinian 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," said the group.

The delegation included National Assembly deputies Francois Ruffin, Alexis Corbiere 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 lets them into the country.

The group said their parties had for decades called for recognition of a Palestinian state, which Macron said last week could come at an international conference in June.

France Israel Tries

Earlier this month, Macron announced that France is preparing to recognise Palestinian statehood within a few months, possibly becoming the 12th European Union member to officially accept the existence of the Palestinian state. The promise came amid growing opposition among Europeans to the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the war in Gaza.

Macron has also tried to pressure Netanyahu over conditions in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reacted with fury to France's possible recognition of a Palestinian state. He said establishing a Palestinian state next to Israel would be a "huge reward for terrorism".