‘Israel’ bars Swedish MEPs over criticism of Gaza policies

‘Israel’ has barred two Swedish members of the European Parliament from entering the country, citing what its Foreign Ministry calls anti-‘Israel’ activity, just as the lawmakers prepared to visit areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar instructed the Population and Immigration Authority to deny entry to Jonas Sjöstedt and Hanna Gedin of Sweden’s Left Party under the country’s Entry Law, which allows authorities to refuse foreign nationals who publicly call for boycotts of ‘Israel’, support international trials of ‘Israelis’ for war crimes, or make certain other statements.

The two MEPs were scheduled to arrive overnight en route to the occupied West Bank.

They were stopped already at a layover in Athens, according to Sjöstedt.

The ‘Israeli’ Foreign Ministry accused them of having “consistently acted against Israel” in recent years, including by “calling for the advancement of international legal proceedings against Israelis,” and of spreading what it dismissed as “false accusations” of genocide, deliberate starvation in Gaza, and the intentional targeting of children and medical personnel.

Sjöstedt rejected the “anti-Israel” label.

“I am against the Israeli government’s policy toward Palestine,” he told Swedish media.

He noted that the Swedish embassy in Tel Aviv had been helpful and said it “would be good and appropriate” for Sweden’s foreign minister to protest the ban.

The Left Party stated that the pair “were stopped already at check-in on their journey to Israel.”

Both lawmakers have long criticized ‘Israel’s’ conduct in Gaza and the occupied territories, calling for EU sanctions, an arms embargo, and accountability through the International Criminal Court.

Sjöstedt has described ‘Israel’s’ assault on Gaza as genocide and its policy as a “cruel occupation,” while also recognizing ‘Israel’s’ right to exist and condemning the events of October 7.

Critics of the ban see it as an effort to silence scrutiny of ‘Israel’s’ military campaign and occupation policies that have drawn widespread international condemnation.

The decision underscores ‘Israel’s’ growing restrictions on foreign critics, including elected European officials seeking to engage with Palestinian authorities.

Sjöstedt and Gedin have previously signed letters seeking access to Gaza and pressed for stronger EU measures against ‘Israel’.

Their exclusion, coming on the eve of a planned visit, is viewed by supporters as further evidence that ‘Israel’ seeks to control the narrative and restrict independent assessment of conditions facing Palestinians.