LONDON: French authorities last week barred an Israeli far-right settler leader, Yossi Dagan, from entering the country over his role in expanding Israeli settlements and violating Palestinian rights.
Dagan’s office claimed Wednesday he was questioned by border control officers at Charles de Gaulle Airport and denied entry because of his role in the creation of 35 settlements in the northern occupied West Bank and his support for re-establishing illegal Jewish settlements in Gaza.
Dagan heads the Shomron Regional Council, one of six councils that oversee settlement activities in the West Bank. He has lately supervised the resettlement of Ganim, Sa-Nur and Homesh, which were evacuated in 2005.
Israeli media outlet Ynet and other outlets stated that Dagan was interrogated by authorities at the airport and was startled by their decision to deny him entry.
During questioning, he boasted that he had constructed 50 villages, not the 35 specified by a border control official, Ynet said.
Dagan said he was supposed to go from France to the Czech Republic but was put on a plane back to Israel. He stated he had been urged by the Israeli foreign ministry at the time not to publicise the decision. The ministry slammed the immigration officials' decision on Wednesday.
