Israel will never stop me speaking up for Palestine

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 19: Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn addresses those who took part in the National March for Palestine as it reaches its conclusion in Whitehall, on July 19, 2025 in London, England. Pro-Palestinian groups have been holding rallies and marches regularly since the war began between Israel and Palestine on October 7, 2023. Organisers say this weekend is expected to be the largest one to date. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images) (Getty)

Over my lifetime, it’s been my privilege to visit Palestine on several different occasions. I’ve witnessed what Palestinians endure on a daily basis. Endless checkpoints. Manned watchtowers. Arbitrary arrests. Violent settlers. This is the daily reality of apartheid, which dictates who can and cannot move freely. This is how Israel’s occupation operates, denying any vestige of autonomy to the occupied. This is the daily rhythm of Palestinian life.

In Gaza, the Israeli occupation controls most of what goes in and out. Its illegal blockade has resulted in the mass starvation and displacement of Palestinians. As more and more people have woken up to the genocide in Gaza, Israel has also denied entry to UN investigators and international journalists – a transparent attempt to stop the world from finding out the full extent of the war crimes it has committed. Do not forget the thousands of Palestinian refugees, as well, who are still denied the right to return.

This is the real scandal. The Israeli government’s decision to ban me – and 10 other British MPs – from entry offered but a tiny glimpse into the authoritarianism that Palestinians are subject to every single day.

I won’t lose any sleep over being condemned by Israel. What I deplore is its despicable treatment of the Palestinian people. What I deplore is Israel’s denial of freedom of movement to thousands of Palestinians on a daily basis. What I deplore is Israel’s denial of entry to UN investigators and journalists, shielding itself from accountability for the crimes of apartheid, occupation and genocide.

What this ban is really about is preventing British MPs from visiting Gaza and the West Bank and stopping the world from seeing what is happening. The Israeli government’s decision tells us all we need to know. It tells us that Israel does not want the world to know the truth. It tells us that Israel resorts to increasingly absurd and desperate measures as it loses support across the globe. Above all, it tells us that we should not give up in our pursuit of truth, accountability and justice.

Israel made the decision to ban us in response to the government’s welcome decision to impose sanctions on illegal settlement goods. International law is clear. In July 2024, the ICJ ruled that Israel’s presence in the Palestinian territories was unlawful and imposed obligations on the UK not to aid or assist the illegal obligation. This ban on settlement goods is long overdue. It reflects growing opposition to state-backed settler violence against Palestinians in the West. The hysteria from those who oppose it proves just how much impunity Israel has enjoyed so far.

Ultimately, this decision is a first step toward the government finally fulfilling its legal obligations. These obligations, however, go beyond refraining from assistance to illegal settlements. Any meaningful package of sanctions would recognise how “settlement goods” are subsumed into Israel’s wider economy. That means ending all trade and all forms of support that sustain Israel’s unlawful presence as a whole.

I also re-iterate my demand for this government to recognise the genocide in Gaza, end all military cooperation (including the sale of F-35 components and the performance of surveillance flights over Gaza) and heed my repeated calls for a public inquiry into British complicity.

I have lost count of the number of demonstrations I have been on in solidarity with Palestine. At each one, I carry the memories of Palestine with me. I endeavour to quote at least one Palestinian in any speech I give. In my mind, it’s important to amplify the lived experiences of those enduring occupation, apartheid and genocide. It is their freedom which is egregiously curtailed – and it is their freedoms that we must defend. The Israeli government can ban me, but they can’t stop me from exposing the truth: they have been committing genocide and I will never stop campaigning until there is justice for the Palestinian people.

In our discussions of Palestine, we always emphasise the horror stories. But in my visits to Palestine, I have experienced the humanity, the music, the art, the poetry, the joy and the resilience of the Palestinian people. I have no interest in being given a tour of apartheid by the Israeli government. I am, however, unwavering in my determination to campaign for the only path to peace: the end of the occupation. It has been many years since I have visited Palestine. No matter what Israel does to intimidate us into silence and despair, I have not given up hope that one day, I may return to visit the children I once met – in a free and independent Palestine.

Jeremy Corbyn is a Member of the UK Parliament for Islington North.
He is the former leader of the UK Labour Party and a human rights advocate.