Israel has declared Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the French leftist party France Insoumise (Unbowed France), and Mathilde Panot, head of its parliamentary group, personae non grata. According to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the decision was made due to their «extremely hostile stance toward Israel». The measure, announced on Thursday, was Tel Aviv's response to a recent incident in which a representative of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank was denied entry to France.
Tel Aviv's Decision and Foreign Ministry Wording
The Israeli Foreign Ministry's statement emphasized that the country «will respond decisively to those who seek to harm it and will not allow individuals who act against its interests and incite hatred against its citizens to enter its territory». Thus, declaring Mélenchon and Panot personae non grata is framed as part of a broader policy to restrict entry to individuals deemed by Israel to be acting against its interests.
France Insoumise's Stance on Gaza and the West Bank
Criticism of the Israeli government's policies and the war in Gaza, which began after the Hamas-led terror attack on October 7, occupies a prominent place in Mélenchon's party platform. At a rally in Le Bourget last weekend, the leader of France Insoumise promised that if victorious, he would act head-on in support of Palestinians — «not only against the genocide in Gaza, but also against the gradual annexation of the West Bank». Before thousands of supporters, he also stated that «French ships, as well as ships from Italy and Spain, if necessary, will escort flotillas of mobilized citizens» toward Gaza.
Preceding Incident Involving Yossi Dagan
The measure announced on Thursday followed the turning back of a Jewish settlement representative from the occupied West Bank upon arrival in France, which sparked outrage in Israeli diplomatic circles. In early November, Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, was denied entry to French territory after landing at a Paris airport. According to an organization representing settlements in the northern West Bank, «during passport control, he was pulled aside and interrogated» before being informed of an entry ban.
France's Reaction and Next Steps
On Wednesday, a source in the French Foreign Ministry did not confirm the expulsion of Yossi Dagan, but emphasized that an «administrative entry ban is in effect against him due to his active role in implementing the West Bank settlement policy», which the source described as «contrary to international law» and «undermining the two-state solution». Israel, in turn, stated that it «will demand explanations from the French government and will consider further steps accordingly».
