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 coming 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 strain Netanyahu over situations in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas battle.
Israel’s inside ministry mentioned visas for the 27 had been cancelled below a legislation that enables authorities to ban individuals who might act in opposition to 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 an announcement that they’d been invited on a five-day journey by the French consulate in Jerusalem.
They had supposed to go to Israel and the Palestinian territories as a 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 mentioned.
“We want to understand what led to this sudden decision, which resembles collective punishment,” mentioned the group.
– ‘Major rupture’ –
The delegation included National Assembly deputies Francois Ruffin, Alexis Corbiere and Julie Ozenne from the Ecologist celebration, Communist deputy Soumya Bourouaha and Communist senator Marianne Margate.
The different members had been left-wing city mayors and native lawmakers.
The assertion denounced the ban as a “major rupture in diplomatic ties”.
“Deliberately preventing elected officials and parliamentarians from travelling cannot be without consequences,” 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 might come at a world 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 cause. Britain’s Foreign 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 Ireland, from coming 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 “huge reward for terrorism”.
Source: www.anews.com.tr