Israel bars two European Parliament members from entry

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has requested that the Population and Immigration Authority block the entry of two European Parliament members from Sweden's Left Party, Jonas Sjöstedt and Hanna Gedin. The two lawmakers were scheduled to arrive in Israel while en route to the Palestinian Authority. The Foreign Ministry stated that the decision was made in accordance with the authority granted under Israel’s Entry into Israel Law. According to the ministry, the two have consistently acted against the State of Israel in recent years. Israeli officials have accused the pair of making false allegations against the country, including accusations of genocide, deliberate starvation, and the intentional targeting of children and medical personnel. The ministry also noted that the lawmakers have previously called for international legal proceedings to be pursued against Israeli officials.