Overview

• Israel's interior ministry canceled entry visas for 27 French left-wing lawmakers, citing a law allowing bans on individuals deemed likely to act against the state.
• The lawmakers, invited by the French consulate in Jerusalem, planned a five-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories to promote peace and cooperation.
• The decision comes days after French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state at an international conference in June.
• Seventeen members of the delegation, representing France's Ecologist and Communist parties, condemned the move as 'collective punishment' and urged Macron to intervene.
• This action continues a pattern of visa denials by Israel, including recent cases involving British MPs and European Parliament deputies critical of Israeli policies.