Gaza war surgeon from Scotland who hailed terrorist behind the murder of an ... trends now
A Gaza war surgeon from Scotland who praised the terrorist behind the murder of an Israeli rabbi as a 'hero' has been denied entry to France.
Dr Ghassan Abu Sittah was due to speak at the French parliament hearing on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The medic was placed in a holding zone in the Charles de Gaulle airport and is waiting to be expelled, according to French senator Raymonde Poncet Monge, who had invited him to speak at the senate.
France's refusal to allow the British-Palestinian surgeon to enter the country comes just weeks after he was also banned from entering Germany.
The French authorities did not give a reason for their decision to bar the doctor from entering.
Dr Ghassan Abu Sittah (pictured) has been banned from entering France where he was due to speak at the senate hearing on the Israel-Hamas conflict
The British-Palestinian medic took to X to document his ordeal, claiming that Germany (where he was blocked from entering last month) have put a one-year ban on him entering Europe
The high profile medic had been invited by French senator Raymonde Poncet Monge (pictured). She called the incident a 'disgrace' on X
The well-known critic of Israel posted on X, formerly Twitter, claiming to have been banned from entering France where he was due to speak at the senate.
The French foreign ministry, interior ministry, local police and the Paris airport authority would not comment on what happened or give an explanation as to their decision to bar Dr Abu Sitta.
He had been invited by France's left-wing Ecologists group in the senate to speak at about the situation in Gaza, according to the senate press service.
Ms Monge called the incident a 'disgrace' on social media.
Last month he was 'forcibly prevented' from entering Germany to speak at a conference about his work in hospitals in Gaza.
The gathering was set to include testimony from medics, journalists and international legal experts with Gaza-related experience.
But he said he was stopped at passport control upon his arrival, held for several hours and then told he had to return to the UK.
He said airport police told him he was refused entry due to 'the safety of the people at the conference and public order'.
Dr Abu Sittah has previously been banned from Germany where he was due to speak at a conference in Berlin. Police broke up the gathering and threatened pro-Palestinian protestors with prosecution
The critic of Israel claimed that he was being forced to take the last flight back to London and also accused Europe of being complicit in a genocide in Palestine in a series of posts
The medic has been seen sitting next to plane hijacker and member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Leila Khaled at a memorial service in 2019 (pictured far right)
He had been on his way to 'The Palestine Conference. We will put you on trial', an event calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, targeted by German pro-Israel organisations in recent weeks, inspiring calls for it to be banned.
As the medic was being held at the border, the event was shut down with Berlin police cutting off power to the hall where the conference was being held, warning pro-Palestine attendees and speakers 'we will prosecute you'.
Dr Abu Sittah took to X to express his frustrations.
He wrote: 'I am at Charles De Gaule airport. They are preventing me from entering France. I am supposed to speak at the French Senate today. They say the Germans put a 1 year ban on my entry to Europe.'
He followed this with several other posts including one which read: 'In an act of utter vindictiveness the french authorities are denying me access to an earlier flight and insisting on sending me on the last flight back late night to London.'
While waiting he also posted another message where he accused Europe of being complicit in a genocide in Palestine.
He said: 'Colonial genocide is a formative component of European identity. Hence their eagerness to become complicit in silencing the witnesses and arming the war criminals.'
