France has banned Yossi Dagan, leader of Israeli settlers in the West Bank, from entering the country.

Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council and a leading figure in Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank , was turned away upon arrival at a Paris airport. Paris cites his "active role" in the settlement policy, which is illegal under international law.

The measure is unprecedented and has provoked a strong reaction from Tel Aviv. Yossi Dagan, who heads the Samaria Regional Council, a body representing the Jewish settlements established in the northern occupied West Bank, was denied entry into France last week after landing at a Parisian airport. Detained during passport control and questioned, he was ultimately forced to leave the country, though his officials have not specified the exact date or the airport involved.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, without explicitly confirming the deportation, indicated that Yossi Dagan "is subject to an administrative ban from the territory due to his active role in implementing the settlement policy in the West Bank." The ministry reiterated that "settlement activity is contrary to international law and undermines the two-state solution."

The Israeli reaction was swift. The Tel Aviv Foreign Ministry called the French decision "totally unacceptable," asserting that it had been "made for clearly political and ideological reasons." Israel announced its intention to demand an explanation from the French government and to "consider its next steps accordingly."

This episode is part of a gradual deterioration in relations between Israel and several European countries over the issue of settlements. More than 500,000 Israelis now live in the West Bank, outside East Jerusalem , in settlements that the UN considers illegal, amidst approximately three million Palestinians. This settlement activity has accelerated under the government of Benjamin Netanyahu.

Since October 7, 2023, violence in the West Bank has increased considerably. More than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed during this period, mostly by Israeli soldiers, while Israeli figures report more than 50 Israelis killed in Palestinian attacks or during military operations.

Faced with this situation, several Western countries, including France , announced in September their intention to sanction trade with the settlements. This stance materialized on Monday when French members of parliament adopted in committee a bill aimed at prohibiting the import of products from Israeli settlements as well as services contributing to the settlement effort.