Samaria council head Yossi Dagan denied entry to France

Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, was denied entry to France last week while traveling to meet French elected officials, according to a statement from his office.

The statement said immigration authorities stopped Dagan at passport control at a Paris airport and took him aside for further questioning before informing him of the entry ban.

According to his office, a French official presented documents citing Dagan’s role in establishing 35 Jewish communities in the West Bank as well as his efforts to promote an Israeli return to Gush Katif in the Gaza Strip.

French authorities have not publicly confirmed the reasons given for the decision.

“I am proud to be Jewish and a Zionist, and to contribute to building the historic homeland of the Jewish people,” Dagan said in response. He added that he was “proud to be on the right side of history.”

After being refused entry, Dagan traveled to Prague, where he spent three days meeting representatives of the Czech government and both houses of Parliament. His office said several officials expressed support for him.

“I extend my support to the residents of Samaria. I wish you success in preserving your land. We stand with you,” Czech Senate Vice President Jiří Oberfalzer said, according to Dagan’s office.

During the meetings, Dagan argued that support for Israeli settlement in the region had implications beyond Israel.

“Judea and Samaria represent Israel’s future and guarantee Europe’s cultural survival and security,” he told his Czech counterparts. “We form a united front, we will fight together and we will prevail together.”

Two sources familiar with the matter told i24NEWS that the entry ban was an unusual diplomatic measure against an Israeli elected official from the West Bank.

The decision comes as Dagan seeks support among European officials for Israeli settlement in the region and campaigns against potential international sanctions.