A well-known British Palestinian surgeon, Dr. Ghassan Abu Sitta, was denied entry to France on Saturday as he attempted to attend a French Senate meeting to discuss the Israel-Hamas war. The surgeon, who has volunteered in Gaza hospitals, was placed in a holding zone at Charles de Gaulle airport and is set to be expelled from the country.
French Sen. Raymonde Poncet-Monge, who had extended the invitation to Dr. Abu Sitta, expressed her disappointment at the situation, labeling it as a 'disgrace.'
According to a French official, Dr. Abu Sitta was refused entry due to a one-year ban imposed by Germany, which extends to all Schengen zone countries. Last month, he faced a similar situation in Germany, where he was denied entry to participate in a pro-Palestinian conference.
The French Foreign Ministry, Interior Ministry, local police, and the Paris airport authority have refrained from commenting on the incident or providing further details.
Dr. Abu Sitta, who recently volunteered with Doctors Without Borders in Gaza, has a long history of providing medical assistance in conflict zones, including the Palestinian territories, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.
The surgeon had been invited by France's left-wing Ecologists group in the Senate to speak at a colloquium focused on the situation in Gaza. The event aimed to gather testimonies from medics, journalists, and international legal experts with experience related to Gaza.
France has been experiencing tensions linked to the Middle East conflict following the recent Hamas incursion into Israel on October 7. The country has witnessed demonstrations and sit-ins at French campuses, reminiscent of similar protests in the United States.
For more updates on the Israel-Hamas war, you can follow AP's coverage at this link.
