Two anti-Israel Swedish members of the European Parliament will be banned from entering Israel at the request of Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.
At Sa’ar’s request, and in accordance with Israel’s Entry Law, the Population and Immigration Authority will bar Swedish Left Party MEPs Jonas Sjöstedt and Hanna Gedin from entering Israel.
The two were planning to visit the Palestinian Authority and were scheduled to arrive in Israel overnight.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the two have “consistently acted against Israel in recent years, including by calling for international legal proceedings to be advanced against Israelis.”
“On various public occasions, they have also made false accusations against Israel, including claims of genocide, deliberate starvation, and the intentional targeting of children and medical personnel,” the ministry said.
MEPs signed letter seeking access to Gaza, called for sanctions on Israel
Sjöstedt has repeatedly taken a strongly critical position toward Israel, calling its conduct in Gaza “genocide,” advocating an EU arms embargo and sanctions against Israeli officials, and describing Israel’s policy toward the Palestinians as a “cruel occupation.”
He has nevertheless explicitly recognized Israel’s right to exist and condemned the October 7 Hamas attack. Gedin has similarly advocated EU pressure and sanctions against Israel over the Gaza war.
Both were among MEPs who signed a May 2026 letter seeking access to Gaza, alongside other European parliamentarians.
