Israel has banned several dozen US citizens from entering the country on account of their membership in the anti-Israel Eyewitness Palestine organization.
The Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Ministry announced on Saturday that it would prevent the activists from entering Israel pursuant to its authority under Section 2(d) of Amendment No. 40 to the Entry into Israel Law (5785-2025).
According to the ministry, Eyewitness Palestine conducts between three and four delegations per year within the territory of the State of Israel as part of its activity to “promote boycotts and delegitimization” against the state.
The ministry thus deemed the delegation to be harmful to the legitimacy of Israel, to the point of endangering its security, and is preventing their entry prior to arrival.
“The rule is clear: Whoever incites against us simply will not enter here,” said Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli.
Alongside acting to prevent the entry of Eyewitness Palestine members, Chikli said he is working to change Israel’s entry guidelines. The planned new policy would require anyone arriving in Israel to declare on whose behalf they are acting and on what mission. Anyone who lies to the authorities will risk imprisonment, he added.
“This step will allow us to continue preventing future entries of activists and organizations that promote boycotts and delegitimization against Israel.”
Two members of Congress among Eyewitness Palestine delegates
According to Israel Hayom’s sources, two members of the US Congress are among the 32 delegates who won’t be able to enter the country. Their names have not yet been announced.
Eyewitness Palestine describes itself as “a transformational education program that inspires and trains participants to be accountable lifelong social justice advocates in the Palestine solidarity movement and within their own communities.”
It is a registered nonprofit in the US. In March last year, the organization entered the spotlight after Jewish Onliner revealed it was holding a webinar with Hussam Al-Zaanin, who spent over a decade in Israeli prison for attempted murder and is said to be a member of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.
The Jerusalem Post reached out to the Diaspora Ministry for comment, but it did not respond by press time.