Israel bars two Swedish MEPs from West Bank visit

Israel has denied entry to two Swedish members of the European Parliament who attempted to visit the West Bank, according to a statement released on Monday. The deputies, Jonas Sjostedt and Hanna Gedin, both members of Sweden’s Left Party, were turned away upon arrival at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday. The Israeli foreign ministry cited the pair’s “consistent actions against Israel” as the reason for their refusal, accusing them of spreading false allegations against the country.

These claims included allegations of genocide, deliberate starvation, and the intentional targeting of children and medical personnel. Sjostedt later clarified on Facebook that the MEPs intended to meet with human rights organizations and visit refugee camps. Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard emphasized that each nation has its own entry regulations and highlighted that Sweden provides a travel advisory for Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Russian Palestinian National Council President Rawhi Fattouh condemned the exclusion of critical voices, stating that the denial of entry is an attempt to silence criticism by force and disregard international law and parliamentary morality. While Israel typically welcomes foreign lawmakers, a notable exception was made in 2019 when the country denied entry to two U.S. Democratic congresswomen critical of Israel, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar.