Israel denies entry to two Swedish MEPs over criticism

Two Swedish members of the European Parliament were denied entry to Israel on August 23, 2026, despite holding valid travel documents, in an incident that has drawn sharp criticism from European officials and highlighted tensions over access to the occupied Palestinian territories. Left Party MEPs Jonas Sjostedt and Hanna Gedin were stopped at Ben Gurion Airport as they prepared to board a flight from Athens to Tel Aviv.

The pair had planned to travel onward to the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem for a series of meetings. Their itinerary included visits to refugee camps and discussions with representatives from the non-governmental organization Save the Children, as well as with Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups. They stated their purpose was to gather testimonies about what they described as deteriorating conditions in the region.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the denial of entry in a statement, attributing the decision to Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. The ministry stated that Sjostedt and Gedin had "consistently acted against Israel," including by calling for international legal proceedings against Israelis and making "false accusations" of genocide and...