Israel has banned the leader of the French party La France Insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, and the chair of the formation’s parliamentary group, Mathilde Panot, from entering the country. The decision was taken by Foreign Minister and Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who accused the two politicians of pursuing an extremely hostile policy toward Israel and inciting against its citizens.
“Israel will respond firmly to those who seek to harm it and will not allow into the country individuals who act against Israel and incite against its citizens,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said.
The statement also said that Mélenchon and Panot were spreading “blood libels” against Israel. The Israeli authorities also cited Mélenchon’s position in favor of sending French warships to escort pro-Palestinian flotillas to Gaza if necessary.
Mélenchon: I did not want to enter Israel
Mélenchon responded to the decision by saying that he was not disappointed because he had not planned to visit Israel.
“I regret that the Israeli government is pursuing me in this way. They are banning me from entering territory that I did not want to enter,” he told France Info radio.Mélenchon is a leading figure of the French radical left and a candidate for president in France’s 2027 election. At a party event on November 7, he said that under a La France Insoumise government, the country would act directly to support Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
“French ships, like those of Italy and Spain, will, if necessary, escort flotillas of mobilized citizens to protect people’s rights,” Mélenchon said.
The decision followed a French ban on an Israeli settler
The Israeli measure was announced a day after France confirmed that it had refused entry to Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council in the West Bank. The French Foreign Ministry said that he was subject to an administrative ban because of his active role in implementing Israel’s settlement policy.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry described France’s decision as “completely unacceptable.” The two reciprocal bans are deepening tensions between Paris and Jerusalem over Israel’s policies in the West Bank and the war in Gaza.
La France Insoumise’s new platform calls for sanctions against Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and the suspension of the association agreement between the European Union and Israel. The document also allows for discussion of alternatives to the traditional two-state solution, including the creation of a binational state with equal rights.
Sources: apnews.com, jpost.com, arabnews.com