AhlulBayt News Agency: Israel’s population and immigration authority announced on Friday that Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni was denied entry into the country just hours before his scheduled arrival.
In a statement, the Israeli interior ministry said the decision was made under the “entry to Israel law” and in coordination with the foreign ministry and national security council.
This move came after Collboni issued multiple statements condemning Israel’s actions in recent months, and following a resolution passed by Barcelona’s city council in May to cut ties with Israel over its violations in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Collboni had recently told the council that the suffering and deaths in Gaza over the past 18 months, along with recent Israeli attacks, made any relationship with Israel untenable.
Barcelona’s city council also suspended its 1998 friendship agreement with Tel Aviv, stating it would remain inactive until Israel respects international law and Palestinian rights. It also instructed the Port of Barcelona and Fira de Barcelona not to host Israeli entities or companies linked to the arms trade or profiting from the war in Gaza.
The mayor had planned to visit Occupied Jerusalem and meet with Palestinian Authority officials in the West Bank. According to the Catalan newspaper Ara, he was invited by the mayors of Bethlehem and Ramallah.
Israel has increasingly restricted access to foreign officials and public figures who criticize its policies toward Palestinians, warning of consequences for those who speak out against its actions.
/129
Your Comment