France bars settler leader Yossi Dagan over West Bank settlement activity

France denied entry to Yossi Dagan, the head of a regional council representing Israeli settlements in the northern West Bank, citing his involvement in settlement expansion and activities that Paris says violate international law, Dagan disclosed Wednesday. According to the Samaria Regional Council, French immigration authorities stopped Dagan at Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport last week and informed him that he was prohibited from entering the country.

He had been scheduled to hold a series of meetings with elected officials. "Mr. Dagan is subject to an administrative entry ban because of his active role in implementing settlement policies in the West Bank," the French Foreign Ministry said. "Settlement activity is contrary to international law and undermines the two-state solution." Dagan said he was taken aside for questioning during passport control, where an officer presented documents explaining that he had been barred because of his position as head of the Samaria Regional Council, his involvement in building Israeli settlements in the West Bank and his efforts to promote the reestablishment of Israeli settlements in the former Gush Katif bloc in the Gaza Strip.

Israel evacuated its settlements in Gaza in 2005 as part of its unilateral disengagement from the territory. Dagan said the Foreign Ministry had asked him not to publicize the incident. "I landed at Charles de Gaulle and was supposed to fly from France to the Czech Republic," Dagan said. "At the airport, an officer checked me, made some calls and asked me to accompany him to border police." "Another officer came and asked to sit down with me.

He said I could not enter the country because I was a council head in Judea and Samaria and was building 35 settlements. I corrected him and said it was 50. He also said I had worked to return to Gush Katif and establish settlements there." Dagan said the officer told him French authorities had decided in May or June to prohibit his entry. "He asked what I had to say in response. I told him I was proud to be Jewish and a Zionist and to build the historic homeland of the Jewish people.

I am proud to be on the right side of history," Dagan said. "The officer said, 'I respect you, but I have to do my job.'" Dagan was subsequently placed on a flight back to Israel. He later traveled from Israel to Prague, where he met with members of the Czech government, Senate and Parliament. According to a statement from the Samaria Regional Council, several Czech lawmakers expressed support for Dagan and the Israeli settlements he represents.

Andrej Kuntek, identified in the statement as the European Parliament faction chairman of the Czech ruling party, told Dagan after their meeting: "Thank you for being the front line defending Europe." Jiří Oberfalzer, deputy president of the Czech Senate, also voiced support. "I stand with the residents of Samaria. I wish you success in defending your country. We stand with you," he said, according to the council. Senior Czech lawmaker Miroslav Janulík was quoted as saying: "On behalf of the Czech Parliament, I thank the people of Samaria."

Dagan told the Czech officials that Israeli control of the West Bank was essential not only to Israel's future but also to Europe's security. "Judea and Samaria are the future of Israel and the guarantee of Europe's cultural and security survival," he said, using the biblical names for the West Bank. "We are one front. We will fight together, and we will win together."