It’s very good to be able to report that Sabri will no longer be visiting the UK. Here is part of the statement from CUFI.
Over 18,000 people had signed a CUFI petition launched four days ago calling upon the UK Government to ban Sheikh Ekrima Sabri from entering the UK and not be allowed to attend Parliament as planned.
In an email seen by CUFI that was sent by organisers EuroPal to all MPs overnight, Sheikh Ekrima Sabri and one other member of the delegation organised by pro-Palestinian group EuroPal, have “both been unsuccessful in obtaining an entry visa for technical reasons, and therefore will not be joining the delegation”.
Europal refers to the CUFI campaign saying “a campaign by pro-Israel groups” had “no bearing on the decision to withhold an entry visa to Sheikh Sabri”, however CUFI has no doubts that the overwhelming response placed upon the Government has had an influence.
However the Jewish Chronicle now reports that:
Since the publication of this article, the JC has received new information suggesting that no visa application for Sheikh Sabri had been received by the Home Office.
Given his proposed visit to Parliament I would have preferred the Home Office to bar him than allow him entry to the UK. But what really troubles me is that a) he was ever invited to Parliament in the first place and b) I have seen no outcry from MPs in relation to the proposed visit (although I can report a prompt and supportive response by email from my MP Daniel Zeichner).
