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Barred MP 'had no intention of visiting Israel'

Elliot Ball,West Midlandsand
Tom Edwards,BBC Hereford & Worcester Political Reporter
News imageHouse of Commons Ellie Chowns MP makes a speech in the Houses of Parliament. She is stood wearing a blue jacket and a black top. She has short brown hair and is holding a piece of paper. Several MPs sit beside her on green leather seats. House of Commons
Ellie Chowns MP is among 12 people to be banned from Israel following UK sanctions taken against the country's government

An MP banned from entering Israel in response to the UK announcing sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, said she has no intention of visiting the country anyway.

Ellie Chowns, who represents North Herefordshire for the Greens, was one of 12 people recently barred from the country. Israel's foreign minister Gideon Saar said the move was in response to sanctions.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced the sanctions on Wednesday with Israel later announcing counter-measures.

Chowns told the BBC she had rejected an invite to Israel from an "international peace organisation", due to concerns over whether she would be stopped from entering.

"I didn't have any plans to travel there anyway, to be honest," she said adding she had recently spoken to someone from a peace organisation.

"They invited me to go and try and visit but I felt it was highly unlikely the Israeli government would let me in."

She continued: "We all have obligations to speak out and these are fundamental British values - defending the right of people whatever their background to live in peace and security.

"And speaking out against violent action by a government if we see it."

'A new approach'

The UK announced sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, accusing Israel's government of turning a blind eye to the "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians by settlers.

In a speech to Parliament, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the move marked the "beginning of a new approach" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which "not only calls out injustice and suffering but acts".

News imageMap showing Israeli settlements and built-up Palestinian areas in the West Bank around Jerusalem – highlighting the E1 settlement in red. Other Israeli settlements are marked in blue and Palestinian areas in light purple. The municipal boundary of Jerusalem is outlined in red. An inset map shows the region’s location within Israel and Jordan.
International law states that settlements are illegal

The UK sanctions will ban settlement goods but also act against companies and individuals providing services for settlement expansion.

Saar accused Miliband of spreading an "outrageous lie" and announced counter-measures including shutting the UK's consulate in East Jerusalem.

Jeremy Corbyn, Zarah Sultana, Naz Shah, Diane Abbott, Hannah Spencer, Carla Denyer, Sian Berry, John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, and Adrian Ramsay were also banned from the country as well as Fahad Ansari, director of Riverway to the Sea, which calls itself a "legal training and advocacy organisation".

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