Israel Recommends Banning Entry for US Activist Kshama Sawant

Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism has recommended that the Population and Immigration Authority deny future entry to American activist Kshama Sawant. The recommendation stems from an amendment to Israel's Entry Law and follows an agreement between ministries regarding such recommendations. The ministry learned that Sawant intends to visit Israel in the coming weeks.

The decision to recommend barring her entry is partly due to her stated intention to visit the West Bank, with the assistance of the Brussels-based de-legitimization organization IFRD. This visit is reportedly part of a preliminary campaign for the 2026 olive harvest organized by Faz3a.

Sawant, a socialist politician and activist who served on the Seattle City Council for a decade, has actively promoted an arms embargo against Israel, called for an end to U.S. military aid, and accused Israel of genocide. In a recent social media post, she announced her plan to visit the "Israeli-occupied West Bank" to speak with Palestinians and Palestinian Americans about the "holocaust being perpetrated by the Israeli state" and the "atrocities of decades of occupation."

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli stated, "The State of Israel will not open its gates to those who consistently work to promote boycotts, embargoes, and de-legitimization against it." He added that individuals seeking to enter Israel as part of organized activities against it should be aware of potential consequences, and that he instructed ministry professionals to examine the case and provide the recommendation to the Population and Immigration Authority according to the law.