Full press release from @ProgIntl here: Israel bars European legislators and international delegation from West Bank as attacks on Palestinian olive harvest escalate: Israeli authorities today (Monday 26 October) barred European legislators from entering the occupied West Bank via Jordan to meet Palestinian students and civil society leaders at Birzeit University and accompany Palestinian farmers facing escalating Israeli settler violence during the olive harvest. The delegation was also due to participate in the Progressive International's Second Ramallah Congress. Those denied entry at the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge crossing from Jordan include: 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 Congress, organised by the Progressive International in partnership with Birzeit University, includes a programme of 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. The exclusions come amid mounting attacks on Palestinian olive harvesters and international observers. 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.

Today Israeli authorities barred me and other European elected representatives from entering the West Bank to meet Palestinian students and civil society leaders, as part of a @ProgIntl delegation. We knew that by crossing into the occupied Palestinian territories, we risked being detained, interrogated and turned away by Israeli authorities. And that, alas, is exactly what happened. For more than eight hours, we were held, interrogated and made to feel as though we had done something wrong simply by attempting to enter. The simple truth is we had done nothing wrong. We went to show our support for the Palestinian people and highlight the terrible injustice and violence being perpetrated against them. We want to ensure that people back home do not look away from the reality of what is happening. Ultimately, we went to show solidarity. But we left with an even greater determination to speak out. We will not be silenced, and we will not look away. None of us should.