British MPs respond defiantly to Israel sanctioning them

British MPs have reacted defiantly to the Israeli government banning them from entering the country in retaliation for the UK sanctioning illegal settlements on Tuesday.

In a speech on Tuesday afternoon, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel would close the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem and remove British representatives from the International Gaza Support Center.

He further announced an end to British training of Palestinian forces and a ban on 11 British MPs from entering Israel.

The list includes former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, independent MP Zarah Sultana, Labour MPs Naz Shah, Diane Abbott, John McDonnell and Richard Burgon, and Green Party MPs Carla Denyer, Adrian Ramsay, Ellie Chowns, Sian Berry and Hannah Spencer.

In addition, Israel banned the lawyer Fahad Ansari, who has worked on a case arguing for Hamas to be de-proscribed as a terror organisation in Britain.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Tuesday afternoon: "I have visited all parts of Palestine on several occasions, where I have witnessed the horrors of occupation, as well as the resilience and humanity of the Palestinian people.

"They are the ones who suffer from Israel's apartheid. It is their freedom which is egregiously curtailed, alongside thousands of Palestinian refugees who are denied the right of return."

Corbyn added that "it is shocking that Israel continues to deny entry to UN investigators and international journalists. Israel doesn't want the world to see what it is doing - but we can never give up in our attempts to expose the truth".

"That is the real scandal," he said.

Labour MP Naz Shah said the selection of MPs banned "appears rather random and, frankly, bizarre".

She added: "I am proud to support the UK Government's actions today, taken in line with our international legal obligations."

Shah said that her "commitment to international law, peace, security and the rights of both Palestinians and Israelis remains unchanged".

On Tuesday, the British government recognised the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, declared the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and announced both comprehensive sanctions on Israeli settlements and a ban on all arms licences and other exports that "materially contribute to the occupation".

France and Canada will also ban trade in settlement goods today, marking a significant diplomatic victory for the British government.

'We will not be bullied into silence'

Labour MP Richard Burgon, a prominent campaigner in parliament for stronger action on Israel, said: "I’ve repeatedly called for sanctions on Israel over its war crimes and ethnic cleansing, including by providing evidence to the International Criminal Court.

"The decision by the Israeli government to sanction me today will not intimidate me into silence. I will continue to do what is right, speak out in defence of international law and stand up for justice for the Palestinian people."

Meanwhile, independent MP Zarah Sultana, a former Labour MP who left the party under Keir Starmer's leadership last year in part because of it did not take stronger action on Israel's genocide in Gaza, said: "Israel has just banned me from entering.

"Given that this is a fascist government presiding over genocide, apartheid and an illegal occupation, I’ll wear it as a badge of honour."

"I will not be intimidated into silence," Sultana said. "I will continue to speak out against Israel’s genocide and against the UK’s complicity.

"If anything, this ban only strengthens my resolve to keep speaking out."

All of the Green Party's MPs were banned by Israel. The Green Party has consistently called for sanctions on Israel, accused it of committing genocide in Gaza and backed the proscription of the Israeli military as a terrorist organisation.

A Green Party spokesperson said: "We will not be bullied into silence by the Israeli government. We are proud of our MPs for standing up for Palestinian rights and demanding an end to British complicity in genocide and illegal occupation.

"These threats only strengthen our resolve. The British government must stand firm and follow these overdue restrictions with a full arms embargo and wide-ranging sanctions."

Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green Party, added: "Our Green MPs have consistently spoken out and voted on the right side of history.

"Standing up against ethnic cleansing, occupation and genocide, as all MPs should be doing."

Fahad Ansari, the lawyer on Israel's list of Britons, remarked: "I am neither British nor an MP but do take this as a badge of honour (although pretty sure I’m already a persona non grata in the apartheid state)." Ansari is Irish.

Unlawful occupation

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said in parliament on Tuesday afternoon that "the official view of the British government is that the occupation is unlawful because of Israel's entrenchment of its control, its intention to extend permanent sovereignty and its expansionist agenda via illegal settlements".

This means the UK has accepted the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which said the occupation is unlawful and placed a duty on states to oppose it.

Miliband said: "The British government agrees that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank perpetrated by settler terrorists.

"And all too often, the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to this, and worse, members of it have made statements and taken actions to support the forced displacement of Palestinians."

Eleven other countries – Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden – signed a joint statement with Britain published on Tuesday, saying they "confirm their intention to introduce national and/or support European restrictions on trade in goods with settlements which are illegal under international law, or that they are actively considering these and other measures, in accordance with their national procedures".