Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, was banned from entering France last week due to his active role in settlement policies in the West Bank. French immigration officials at Paris airport informed Dagan after a lengthy interrogation that he was not allowed to enter the country.
Reasons for the Entry Ban
A French diplomatic source stated that Mr. Dagan is under an administrative ban due to his activities in implementing settlement policies in the West Bank. This source emphasized that settlement activities are contrary to international law and undermine the two-state solution.
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Background of Yossi Dagan
Yossi Dagan is a prominent figure in the West Bank settlement movement and has recently launched public diplomatic campaigns in Europe and the United States to counter international sanctions against settlement products. In February 2024, France announced sanctions against 28 Israeli settlers accused of human rights violations against Palestinians. However, the French Foreign Ministry has not released a precise list of these individuals.
The spokesperson for the Samaria Council, Esther Elush, responded to questions about Dagan's entry ban, stating that he was not informed at the time the ban was issued. She also added that only French officials could answer this question.
In May 2026, France announced that it had banned the entry of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir due to the release of a video mocking detained activists by Israeli soldiers. This video sparked international reactions.
In recent years, settler violence in the West Bank has significantly increased. The United Nations recorded over 800 attacks on Palestinians in the first five months of 2026, including assaults, arson, and attacks on homes and olive groves.
Relations between France and Israel have soured significantly since the Gaza war and the recognition of the State of Palestine in 2025. During the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel, over 50 French citizens were killed. France has repeatedly criticized Israel for the rising violence of settlers in the West Bank.
On September 8, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that Paris would ban Israeli settlement products from the West Bank. On the same day, 11 other countries, including the UK and Canada, announced similar measures to sanction trade with Israeli settlements.
The Economic Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly recently advanced a proposal put forward by the Socialist Party that bans the import of settlement products.
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