AMMAN, JORDAN, 29 Oct. - (ANA) - Erik Edman was travelling with a Progressive International delegation to meet Palestinian communities and accompany farmers facing escalating settler violence during the olive harvest.

 

Israeli authorities on Monday 26 October, denied entry to DiEM25 Political Director Erik Edman at the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge crossing from Jordan, preventing him from reaching the occupied West Bank.

 

Edman was part of a Progressive International delegation travelling to attend its Second Ramallah Congress, organised in partnership with Birzeit University. The planned visit included meetings with Palestinian academics, students and civil society organisations. On 31 October, delegates were due to join the olive harvest at Qamar Al-Balad Farm in Farkha, near Salfit.

 

 

 

“We came to meet with Palestinian farmers facing attacks on their own lands, and discuss with students, academics and civil society organisations living under occupation.

 

This is an attempt to isolate Palestinians and intimidate those who stand with them. It will fail. European governments must stop supplying the weapons and diplomatic protection that allow this violence to continue. DiEM25 will keep organising across borders to end that complicity and defend the Palestinian people’s right to live in freedom.”

 

Other members of the delegation denied entry included:

 

- Clive Lewis MP, Labour Party

 

- Lara Bird MP, Scottish National Party

 

- Kate Nevins MSP, Scottish Green Party

 

- Josu Estarrona Elizondo, EH Bildu member of the Senate of Spain

 

- Sam Tarry, former Labour MP

 

The exclusions come amid mounting attacks on Palestinian olive harvesters and those accompanying them. On 16 October, Israeli settlers assaulted American photojournalist Heidi Levine. The following day, settlers attacked European diplomats and a French mayor accompanying Palestinian farmers. On 21 October, Israeli forces detained around 80 olive-harvest volunteers, including US congressional candidate Brad Lander.

 

Earlier this month, Israeli media reported that Defence Minister Israel Katz had instructed officials to pursue exclusion orders against activists accompanying Palestinian olive harvesters.

 

Laila Hazaineh, a political coordinator for the Progressive International, said:

 

“Israel faces a choice: expose the daily realities of the occupation to international visitors or shut itself off from the world. Today it chose the latter.”

 

DiEM25 condemns the exclusion of its Political Director and fellow delegates, and the wider attempt to obstruct international solidarity with Palestinians. The movement calls on European governments to challenge these exclusions, demand protection for Palestinian farmers and end their complicity in the occupation.   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/29 October 2026 - - -