A group of British politicians have called on the government to ban Israeli settlers who incite or commit acts of violence and intimidation against Palestinians from entering the United Kingdom.
The demand was made in a letter, jointly written by the Balfour Project, which advocates for equal rights for Palestinians and Israelis, and the Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU), and addressed to Foreign Secretary David Cameron and Home Secretary James Cleverly.
“Following recent constructive exchanges in the House of Commons, we write to ask that Israeli settlers who commit or incite crimes of violence and intimidation against Palestinians in the West Bank should be barred from entry into the United Kingdom,” the letter reads.
The 56 parliamentarians who signed it emphasise that there is “good British precedent for such action” and assert that “the case for British Government action is very strong”.
Highlighting a parallel move by the United States, the letter notes: “The US Administration has announced that it is banning entry to the USA by violent Israeli settlers it has identified.”
It suggests that if the US has identified these individuals as dangerous, the UK should also consider similar measures and encourage European allies to take corresponding action.
Addressing Israel’s role as the occupying power in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, the letter points out that Israel holds “the sole responsibility for controlling the settlers, whose presence on occupied Palestinian land is itself illegal under international law”.
The letter raises grave concerns about the Israeli army and police, alleging they are “ordered to protect the settlers only, and not the Palestinian people living under occupation”, and accuses them of “assisting Israeli settlers in attacks on Palestinian communities”, contrary to the Fourth Geneva Conventions of 1949.
The letter highlights the Israeli authorities’ actions, mentioning the arrest of more than 3,000 West Bank Palestinians since the Hamas attack on 7 October, often “in the most arbitrary manner and without charge”.
It also raises the case of Anas Abu Srour, arrested on November 28, and sentenced to six months’ administrative detention without charge or trial.
The parliamentarians add: “To our knowledge, he has committed no offence,” and urge the British Embassy in Tel Aviv to raise his and other similar cases with the Israeli authorities urgently.
The letter also calls for increased UK support for the West Bank Protection Consortium, emphasising the need for “additional resources from Britain to address the massive increase in settler violence and intimidation”.
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