Exclusion Stirs: British-Palestinian MD and Gaza Crisis

Paris: A prominent British-Palestinian surgeon who volunteered in Gaza hospitals revealed that he was refused entry to France on Saturday to address a French Senate session regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict. Despite his efforts, authorities declined to provide a rationale for their decision. Dr. Ghassan Abu Sitta found himself confined to a holding area at Charles de Gaulle airport and is slated for expulsion, as confirmed by French Senator Raymonde Poncet Monge, who extended the invitation for him to speak at the Senate.

Expressing her dismay, Senator Monge denounced the situation as “a disgrace” on social media platforms. Abu Sitta further clarified that his denial in France stemmed from a one-year prohibition imposed by Germany on his entry into Europe. This setback follows a similar incident last month when Germany barred his entry and compelled him to return to the UK. Notably, both France and Germany are part of the Schengen zone, where border restrictions are typically relaxed.

Despite inquiries directed at the French Foreign Ministry, Interior Ministry, local police, and airport authorities, no official statement or explanation has been forthcoming. Abu Sitta’s intended engagement with France’s left-wing Ecologists group in the Senate aimed to address the Gaza situation during a colloquium featuring testimonies from medical professionals, journalists, and international legal experts with firsthand experience in Gaza-related matters.

This recent episode adds to Abu Sitta’s previous encounter when he was prevented from attending a pro-Palestinian conference in Germany. On that occasion, he was detained at passport control, interrogated for several hours, and eventually instructed to return to the UK. Airport police cited concerns for public safety and order at the conference as the basis for their decision.

Having volunteered extensively with Doctors Without Borders in Gaza and worked in conflict zones such as Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, Abu Sitta brings a wealth of experience to humanitarian efforts. Against the backdrop of escalating tensions in France following the Hamas incursion into Israel on October 7, incidents like these underscore the complex dynamics at play in the ongoing Middle East conflict. Recent demonstrations and sit-ins at French campuses mirror the activism witnessed in the United States.