France confirms entry ban on Israeli settlement council chief

Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, was turned back after arriving at a Paris airport last week, according to his office, while France confirmed he is subject to an administrative entry ban but did not confirm that he was deported.

Dagan’s office said he was pulled aside and questioned at passport control before being told he could not enter France. Its statement did not give the date or identify the airport. The account has not been independently confirmed by French authorities.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Dagan was subject to an administrative ban because of his active role in implementing settlement policy in the West Bank. The ministry did not confirm that he was forced to leave the country. It said settlement building is contrary to international law and undermines the two-state solution.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry described the measure as unacceptable and said it was based on political and ideological grounds. It said Israel would seek an explanation from the French government and consider its next steps. France’s public explanation cited Dagan’s role in settlement policy; the specific circumstances of his departure remain unconfirmed by French...