Twelve British MPs banned from entering Israel amid sanctions fallout
Twelve British MPs have been barred from entering Israel following the UK’s decision to impose sanctions on goods produced in illegal West Bank settlements, reports BritPanorama.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced the retaliatory measures on Tuesday, asserting that the MPs participated in activities regarded as anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli.
Saar described an address by his UK counterpart, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, as “outrageous lies,” explaining that he felt compelled to respond to the Labour government’s “hostile actions.”
Miliband accused Israel of turning a blind eye to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the West Bank, where residents face increasing pressure to move due to the expansion of settlements.
Saar’s statement specified that the barred individuals were “involved in antisemitic and anti-Israel activity, as well as those who deny the very existence of the State of Israel.”
The list includes notable figures such as former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and other influential party members.
Additional counter-measures announced by Saar include closing the British Consulate in Jerusalem and withdrawing British representatives from the International Gaza Support Centre in Kiryat Gat.
Furthermore, British efforts to train Palestinian Authority forces in Judea and Samaria under the “British Support Team in Ramallah” will cease.
Saar accused the Labour government of consistently adopting a hostile stance towards Israel since its ascendance to power in 2024.
He remarked, “I say to the Labour Government and to every government in the world that thinks it can force Israel to act against our national and security interests: You have no chance of succeeding.”
Saar further asserted, “Not only will you fail to harm us. You will harm yourselves and your own influence.”
The Green Party responded assertively to the ban, declaring it will “not be bullied into silence,” as all its MPs were also prohibited from entering Israel.
A party spokesperson stated, “These threats only strengthen our resolve. The British government must stand firm and follow these overdue restrictions with a full arms embargo and wide-ranging sanctions.”
The developments underscore an intensifying diplomatic row, reflecting increasing tensions surrounding UK-Israeli relations and the broader implications for international policy on the Middle East.
