Israel bars UK foreign secretary from visiting Palestine town targeted by settlers

Israeli authorities prevented British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly from visiting a Palestinian village that has been subject to a wave of settler attacks in recent years, according to reports.

Cleverly was scheduled to visit the town of Ein Samiya while on a three-day trip to occupied Palestinian territories in mid-September but along with Ireland Foreign Minister Michael Martin, who visited a week earlier, was barred from entry, Middle East Eye reported.

The New Arab has reached out to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the foreign minister for confirmation of the reports but received no response at the time of publication.

Norway Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeld, who has previously denounced Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, attempted to inspect another unnamed Palestinian town in the West Bank's "Area C" which has also been subject to years of settler attacks but was denied access by Israeli authorities, according to other reports.

Area C of the West Bank covers over 60 percent of the occupied territory and is under full Israeli military and administrative control.

Around 600,000 Israelis live in settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, which are deemed illegal under international law. They often carry out attacks on surrounding Palestinian communities.

During their visits both Cleverly and Martin met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government includes far-right figures who live in settlements, but Huitfeldt instead set down with Foreign Minister Eli Cohen.

All three ministers travelled to the Palestinian Authority’s seat of government in Ramallah to meet Palestinian officials. Cleverly and Martin additionally met President Mahmoud Abbas. 

Israeli occupation authorities prevented British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly from visiting the Palestinian village of Ein Samiya that was recently emptied of its residents after years of Israeli settler violence, during his three-day trip in September pic.twitter.com/G3wfUqFshq

— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) October 4, 2023

Cleverly did not comment on reports that he was unable to access Ein Samiya, where an EU-funded school attended by the few Palestinian children who remained in the village, has been demolished. Ein Samiya was home to 200 Palestinians but has been essentially emptied following Israeli settler attacks.

An Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson claimed the decision to bar entry to the ministers was due to "security concerns". 

Israeli settlers have carried out dozens of attacks in Area C, taking advantage of Israeli military control of the area and forcing Palestinians to flee their homes.