UK Charities and Advocacy Groups Condemn Israeli Entry Ban Threats Following Sanctions

British charities, Palestinian advocacy groups, and Palestine Action have strongly condemned an official Israeli letter that targets their representatives and activists, recommending that they be barred from entering Israel. The document, reviewed by Al Jazeera, was issued by Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism. It advises border authorities to block employees and activists connected to prominent aid organizations such as Oxfam, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Save the Children, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), and the Norwegian Refugee Council, alongside campaign groups like the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Friends of Al-Aqsa.

Dated September 8—the same day the UK announced a ban on imports from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank—the letter was previously covered by the BBC and Jerusalem Post. Ismail Patel, founder of Friends of Al-Aqsa, which openly supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, is accused in the document of participating in anti-Israel protests in London and making critical statements in public. Patel responded that the planned ban proves the BDS campaign is having an impact and stated that Israeli restrictions will not intimidate them. Israel's Diaspora Affairs Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

The tensions follow warnings from Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding potential consequences for what it termed hostile moves by the UK. Following the trade ban, Israel restricted access to Gaza and the occupied West Bank, barring 11 British MPs and a lawyer from entry, ordering the closure of the British consulate in Jerusalem, removing British representatives from the International Gaza Support Center in Kiryat Gat, and ending the training of Palestinian Authority forces.

The leaked letter points to the ongoing activities of British organizations promoting boycotts and sanctions against Israel. It accuses a total of 11 groups of various actions, including advocating for engagement with Hamas, demanding an arms embargo, and having ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. Save the Children rejected accusations of describing Israeli actions as deliberate starvation and genocide, with a spokesperson noting that NGOs already face severe visa hurdles at borders. MAP emphasized that the letter reflects broader restrictions on international charities, while Palestine Action cofounder Huda Ammori stated that their focus remains on challenging the Israeli defence industry.

Additionally, UK Lawyers for Israel urged the government to consider proscribing Doctors Without Borders (MSF) as a terrorist organization, a move MSF denounced as part of an ongoing disinformation campaign following false accusations regarding its staff.