Israel Blocks Mélenchon and Panot Over Gaza Flotilla Escort Pledge

Israel's foreign ministry announced Thursday that Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the hard-left French presidential contender, will not be allowed into the country. The ministry said it would also refuse entry to Mathilde Panot, who chairs the parliamentary group of Mélenchon's France Unbowed party. In its statement, the ministry said Israel responds firmly to those who seek to harm it and will not let people who act against Israel and incite against its citizens enter.

The trigger came Saturday, when Mélenchon said that if elected, France would act directly in support of Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank. He pledged that French ships, like those of Italy and Spain, would escort citizen flotillas seeking to affirm people's rights if necessary. Mélenchon is a fierce critic of Israel and had no apparent plans to travel there.

The move lands a day after France confirmed it had refused entry to the head of a body representing settlements in the occupied West Bank, an unusual tit-for-tat between the two countries. Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza since Hamas took over in 2007 and tightened control of entry points further after Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, which set off a massive military campaign.

Several flotillas have tried to break the Israeli siege. Activists from one intercepted earlier this year alleged they were physically or sexually abused in Israeli custody, charges the Israeli government denies.

Mélenchon and Panot join a list of barred left-wing politicians. Israel previously banned entry to British lawmakers including Jeremy Corbyn, another outspoken critic, after London imposed sanctions on products from settlements.