French immigration authorities refused entry last week to Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan when he landed in Paris for a series of policy meetings with elected officials, his office told JNS. Israel's Foreign Ministry condemned the move on Wednesday and said it would demand an explanation from Paris.
According to Dagan's office, he was pulled aside at passport control and questioned. An immigration officer showed him documents saying he was barred because of his position as council head, his role in building 35 communities in Judea and Samaria, and his work to promote a return to Gush Katif.
"Israel takes a grave view of the decision to bar the entry of a law-abiding Israeli elected official on clearly political and ideological grounds. This is a completely unacceptable step," the Foreign Ministry said, adding that it would consider its next steps.
Asked for his response during questioning, Dagan told the officer, according to his office: "I am proud to be a Jew and a Zionist and to build the historic homeland of the Jewish people. Proud to be on the right side of history."
The move comes as a committee of France's National Assembly on Monday advanced a Socialist-sponsored bill to ban imports of goods and services from Israeli communities in Judea, Samaria and the Golan Heights. The bill is set for debate on Nov. 19; President Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance party opposes it.
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