West Bank sanction row: Israel bars 12 British MPs from entering country

Israel has barred 12 British MPs and a campaign group director from entering the country, with Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accusing them of anti-Israel and antisemitic activity.The move came after the UK government imposed restrictions on goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, escalating tensions between the two governments.Saar announced the measures on Tuesday, saying Israel was responding to what he described as hostile actions by the Labour government. He also criticised remarks made by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband in Parliament, calling his address "outrageous lies".The British officials and campaign figures affected are Jeremy Corbyn, Zarah Sultana, Naz Shah, Diane Abbott, Hannah Spencer, Carla Denyer, Sian Berry, Ellie Chowns, John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, Adrian Ramsay and Fahad Ansari, director of Riverway to the Sea.Saar said those targeted were "involved in antisemitic and anti-Israel activity, as well as those who deny the very existence of the State of Israel".The restrictions extend beyond the MPs. Israel will close the British Consulate in Jerusalem and remove British representatives from the International Gaza Support Centre in Kiryat Gat, Saar said.Israel will also end British involvement in training Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank through the British Support Team in Ramallah.The measures follow increasingly sharp criticism of Israel from the UK government. Miliband accused Israel of "turning a blind eye" to the alleged ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the West Bank, where Palestinian communities have faced pressure from Israeli settlers.Saar said the Labour government had adopted a hostile position towards Israel since coming to power in 2024 and warned other governments against attempting to pressure Israel over its security and national interests."We did not return to our land after 2,000 years only to lose it under pressure from jihadists, Islamists, antisemites, far-leftists and wokes," Saar said.The Green Party, whose MPs are among those barred, rejected the Israeli government's decision and said it would continue campaigning on Palestinian rights."We will not be bullied into silence by the Israeli government," a party spokesperson said, adding that the ban strengthened its call for an arms embargo and broader sanctions against Israel.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.