Israel Prepares Entry Ban for UK Activist Group Over Boycott Campaigns
Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli directed officials to deny entry to Amos Trust representatives, citing systematic efforts to promote economic and cultural sanctions against the state.
By Justin Barnes ·
The Israeli government is moving to block entry for activists from the UK-based organization Amos Trust following a formal recommendation by the Population and Immigration Authority. At the direction of Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli, the ministry’s Director-General, Avi Cohen-Skali, advised that the authority deny visas to representatives of the group. This recommendation stems from a ministerial investigation into the organization's operations and advocacy strategies.
The ministry’s findings indicate that Amos Trust systematically promotes boycotts of Israel across economic, cultural, and academic sectors. The investigation also identified that the group supports the imposition of sanctions and an arms embargo on the state. Beyond policy positions, the ministry found that the organization runs a public advocacy network and social media campaigns designed to pressure Israel and encourage individual activists to join boycott initiatives.
Founded in 1985, Amos Trust describes its mission as promoting justice for Palestinians, climate justice, and gender equality. The group frequently collaborates with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the Palestine Platform, and the Palestinian-led BDS movement. Recent campaigns have included the 'Free Marwan Barghouti' and 'Stop Arming Israel' initiatives, along with a program encouraging a cultural boycott of events linked to Israel. The group also operates a 'Visit Palestine' travel program that invites participants to observe conditions in the West Bank firsthand.
Controversy surrounding the group has intensified due to its partnerships with other organizations. One notable collaboration is with 'We Are Not Numbers,' a Gaza-based writing project launched in 2015 by the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor. The Diaspora Affairs Ministry has identified Euro-Med founder and chairman Ramy Abdu as a Hamas operative, a designation he has disputed. Other documentation alleges links between Euro-Med leadership and Hamas, including claims that senior figures appeared on an Israeli list of Hamas operatives and institutions released in 2013.
Separately, Le Monde reported in November 2023 that Ahmed Alnaouq, a co-founder of 'We Are Not Numbers,' has a brother named Ayman who was identified as a member of Hamas's military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades. These connections have drawn scrutiny to the networks through which Amos Trust operates its international advocacy efforts.
Chikli stated that the state will not act as a host for activists systematically working against it. He said, “Those who work to boycott Israel, isolate it and undermine its legitimacy cannot expect its doors to remain open to them.” Cohen-Skali added that Israel is not obligated to permit entry to representatives of organizations that systematically promote boycotts and sanctions.
The ministry has committed to continuing its actions against groups that promote the delegitimization of Israel. The recommendation to deny entry marks a concrete step in applying these enforcement measures to a prominent international advocacy group.
