Israel denies Law of Return rights to Jewish anti-Israel activists

Israel has withdrawn aliyah approval from two Jewish anti-Israel activists amid a broader crackdown on foreign activists operating in Judea and Samaria.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israel has withdrawn aliyah approval for two Jewish activists involved in anti-Israel causes and is reviewing their immigration applications, Haaretz reported.

The two prospective immigrants, a 23-year-old British citizen and a 27-year-old American citizen, had previously received approval from the Jewish Agency.

The Population and Immigration Authority is now examining their applications, though it has not publicly stated the specific reasons for the reviews.

The cases come as Israeli authorities have increased enforcement involving foreign activists operating in Judea and Samaria.

Foreign nationals suspected of provoking confrontations with Jewish residents, disrupting security operations or participating in activities targeting Jewish farms and communities have faced action by authorities.

A dedicated police unit operating in the Judea and Samaria District has been tasked with collecting information on foreign activists suspected of such activities.

Relevant findings are transferred to the Interior Ministry and Population Authority for further action.

By August, the unit’s work had resulted in 47 foreign activists being deported and another 130 being denied entry to Israel since the beginning of 2026.

Authorities have also taken action against prospective immigrants in cases involving alleged violations in Judea and Samaria.

Last January, four foreign nationals were found to have participated in an attack on a shepherd in al-Mughayyir and to have violated a military order.

Two of the four were prospective immigrants and were designated for deportation.

Israel’s Interior Ministry said it has rejected more than 21,000 electronic travel authorization applications since 2025, NPR reported.

The authorization is part of a pretravel screening process required for visitors from the US, Canada, the European Union and other countries whose citizens do not need visas to enter Israel.

In a statement to NPR, the US State Department defended Israel’s decisions to deny entry, saying they are “consistent with the uniform application of Israeli law as part of Israel’s ongoing efforts to protect against potential security threats.”