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Jeremy Corbyn Vows to Keep Campaigning for Palestine After Ban — AI-generated representative image: A veteran British politician speaks publicly amid calls to keep campaigning for Palestinian justice after an entry ban.

Editorial Team

The former Labour leader says Israel's entry ban on British MPs will not silence calls for accountability over Gaza, occupation and apartheid.

Former British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has vowed to continue campaigning for Palestinian justice after Israel banned him and 10 other British MPs from entering the country. Writing in a published opinion piece, Corbyn said the ban would not silence him and warned that Israel is attempting to prevent the world from seeing the reality of its occupation, apartheid and the war in Gaza.

He described the entry ban as a response to the United Kingdom government's decision to impose sanctions on illegal settlement goods, a move he welcomed as long overdue.

The ban matters because it reflects a wider pattern of restricting access to Gaza and the West Bank, Corbyn argues. He says Israel has also denied entry to United Nations investigators and international journalists, shielding itself from scrutiny over alleged war crimes, occupation and what he describes as genocide in Gaza. The decision, he contends, signals Israel's growing desperation as global support erodes.

Ban Follows UK Sanctions on Settlement Goods

Corbyn said Israel imposed the entry ban in response to the UK government's decision to sanction illegal settlement goods. He described the sanctions as a welcome first step toward fulfilling Britain's legal obligations, but argued they do not go far enough.

He called on the UK government to take further measures, including recognizing the genocide in Gaza, ending all military cooperation with Israel, halting the sale of F-35 components and stopping surveillance flights over Gaza. He also renewed his demand for a public inquiry into British complicity.

Legal and Historical Context

Corbyn pointed to the July 2024 ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which determined that Israel's presence in the Palestinian territories was unlawful and imposed obligations on the UK not to aid or assist that presence. He argued that the settlement goods ban is consistent with this ruling and reflects growing opposition to state-backed settler violence in the West Bank.

The former Labour leader, who has visited Palestine on several occasions over his lifetime, said he has witnessed daily realities including checkpoints, manned watchtowers, arbitrary arrests and violent settlers. He described these conditions as the daily rhythm of Palestinian life under what he called apartheid.

Corbyn's Account of Palestinian Life

In Gaza, Corbyn said the Israeli occupation controls most of what enters and leaves the territory, and that an illegal blockade has resulted in mass starvation and displacement. He also highlighted thousands of Palestinian refugees who remain denied the right to return.

He said that despite the emphasis often placed on hardship, his visits to Palestine have shown him the humanity, music, art, poetry, joy and resilience of the Palestinian people. He stated that he has no interest in being given a tour of apartheid by the Israeli government and that the only path to peace is the end of the occupation.

What Comes Next

Corbyn said it has been many years since he last visited Palestine, but that he has not given up hope of one day returning to a free and independent Palestine. He pledged to continue amplifying Palestinian voices at demonstrations and in speeches, stating that the Israeli government can ban him but cannot stop him from exposing what he calls genocide or from campaigning until there is justice for the Palestinian people.