World · Middle East · 1 hr ago
Israeli authorities bar British politicians from entering the West Bank
Israeli authorities barred an international delegation from entering the West Bank after it tried to cross from Jordan.
The group included Scottish politicians Lara Bird and Kate Nevens, Labour MP Clive Lewis and former MP Sam Tarry.
The 23 delegates planned to meet Palestinian farmers, children and community leaders and attend a gathering organised by Progressive International and Birzeit University.
Members said they were detained and questioned for several hours at the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge, then turned away without being given a reason.
The trip came amid violence against Palestinian olive farmers during the harvest season; the UN recorded at least 160 settler attacks linked to the harvest in the first two weeks of October.
The visit was intended to show support and let the delegates witness conditions in the West Bank.
Progressive International said it remained determined to engage with Palestinian communities, but no further plans were given.
Israeli authorities barred an international delegation including British politicians from entering the West Bank.
The 23-person group included four elected representatives, among them Labour MP Clive Lewis, SNP MP Lara Bird and Scottish Greens MSP Kate Nevens.
The delegates were stopped at the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge while travelling from Jordan to meet Palestinian communities during the olive harvest.
The politicians said they were detained and questioned; accounts put the detention at eight or nine hours.
The delegation said it intended to meet Palestinian farmers, students and civil society leaders.
- Who
- An international delegation of 23 people, including four elected representatives. British members included Clive Lewis, Lara Bird and Kate Nevens.
- What
- Israeli authorities barred the delegation from entering the West Bank and detained and questioned members.
- When
- 26 October 2026.
- Where
- At the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge, while the group was travelling from Jordan into the West Bank.
- Why
- The delegation intended to meet Palestinian farmers, students and civil society leaders during the olive harvest. The authorities’ reason for refusing entry was not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Israeli media reported that Defence Minister Israel Katz had instructed officials to pursue exclusion orders against activists travelling to Palestinian olive-harvesting areas.
The UN aid coordination office recorded at least 160 Israeli settler attacks linked to the olive harvest.
Israeli authorities stopped the delegation at the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge and barred it from entering the West Bank.
- Delegation size
- 23 people
- Elected representatives
- 4
- British politicians named
- Clive Lewis, Lara Bird and Kate Nevens
- Crossing point
- Allenby/King Hussein Bridge
- UN-recorded attacks
- At least 160 in the first two weeks of October
3 sources
What people are saying
We were detained, taken aside and then interrogated. I use the word interrogated because people were shouted at.
I came to stand alongside Palestinians being attacked for harvesting olives on their own land. Instead, we were turned away at the border with no reason given.
They made a political decision very clearly based on the fact they didn’t want people to witness what’s been going on in the West Bank, especially ahead of the elections.
Every refusal of entry will only strengthen this determination.