The head of an organisation representing illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank has been denied entry into France.
Israel denounced the move as “completely unacceptable” on Wednesday after prominent Israeli settler Yossi Dagan said French authorities turned him back last week when he flew into a Paris airport.
Dagan, who is a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party , was “subject to an administrative ban from the territory due to his active role in implementing the settlement policy in the West Bank” according to his office.
“Settlement building is contrary to international law and undermines the two-state solution,” the French ministry said.
According to the ministry, Dagan was “pulled aside and questioned” at the airport’s passport control before being informed that he was banned from entering French territory “due to his active role in implementing the settlement policy in the West Bank.”
Dagan said Wednesday that he was undeterred by the ban and was proud to “build the historic homeland of the Jewish people”, while Israeli’s foreign ministry said the measures against Dagan were based on “political and ideological grounds”.
“Israel will demand an explanation from the French government and consider its next steps accordingly,” it added.
The incident comes amid growing tension between Israel and European countries around illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, which have proliferated under Netanyahu’s government.
France, along with 11 other countries, announced its intention to restrict trade with illegal settlements in the Palestinian territory in September, which spurred outrage from Israeli officials.
On Monday, a French parliamentary committee approved a bill banning the imports of settlement goods and services contributing to settlement construction, with further discussion scheduled for November 19.
There are at least 148 illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and 15 in occupied East Jerusalem, now home to about 750,000 Israelis, according to Israeli anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now.
Earlier this year, France banned far-right Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, who are both members of Netanyahu’s cabinet.
