Israel Bars 11 UK Lawmakers Following Settlement Import Ban
Eleven British parliamentarians, including Zarah Sultana and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, have been barred from entering Israel. The travel ban serves as a direct retaliatory measure following the United Kingdom's decision to join an international coalition imposing import restrictions on goods produced in West Bank settlements.
Zarah Sultana, the MP for Coventry South, characterized the decision as a badge of honor, asserting that the ban would not silence her criticism of Israel’s actions in the Palestinian territories. The government of Israel moved to block the lawmakers after the UK, alongside France and Canada, enacted sanctions against settlement-produced goods, which are widely classified as illegal under international law. UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband framed the import ban as a necessary response to the systemic violence and displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank.
In addition to the entry restrictions, Israel closed the British consulate in East Jerusalem, effectively severing a key diplomatic channel for relations with Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Beyond Sultana and Corbyn, the list of those prohibited from entry includes several Labour MPs—Diane Abbott, Richard Burgon, John McDonnell, and Naz Shah—and five Green Party members: Siân Berry, Ellie Chowns, Carla Denyer, Adrian Ramsay, and Hannah Spencer. Jeremy Corbyn condemned the move, arguing that Israel’s attempt to restrict international scrutiny only underscores the urgency of exposing the realities of the occupation.
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