Israeli authorities denied an international delegation entry to the occupied West Bank on Oct. 26, disrupting planned meetings with Palestinian groups and a visit to olive harvesters, Global Justice Now said.
The delegation included European legislators and planned to attend the Second Ramallah Congress, organized by Progressive International in partnership with Birzeit University. Global Justice Now said the group intended to meet Palestinian academics, students and civil society organizations.
Clive Lewis said in the organization’s statement that members were held and questioned for more than eight hours at the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge crossing from Jordan. Scottish National Party MP Lara Bird said they were turned away “with no reason given.”
Global Justice Now framed the denial amid what it described as rising attacks on olive harvesters and international observers, calling it part of a wider campaign to keep politicians, observers and aid workers from entering the West Bank. The organization also cited previous entry denials in 2025 and said Israel placed 12 British MPs on a ban list for Israel earlier in 2026. EconoTimes previously reported OCHA’s tally of 199 settler attacks linked to the West Bank olive harvest.
The delegation was scheduled to accompany Palestinian farmers during the harvest on Saturday, Oct. 31, at Qamar Al-Balad Farm in Farkha, near Salfit, Global Justice Now said.
