French Authorities Deny Entry to Palestinian Doctor Ghassan Abu-Sittah

British-Palestinian surgeon Ghassan Abu-Sittah was denied entry into France on May 4th, despite being invited to speak at the French Senate. According to reports, he was placed in a holding zone at Charles de Gaulle airport and will be expelled from the country. The reason for his denial of entry is unclear, with some sources blaming German authorities and others stating that he is barred from entering all Schengen zone countries. Senator Raymonde Poncet-Monge, who had invited Abu-Sittah to speak at the Senate, described the situation as a "disgrace" on social media. The surgeon, who specializes in plastic and reconstructive surgery, was due to discuss Gaza during his speech. It is unclear whether he was aware of the entry restrictions before flying to Paris. Abu-Sittah himself posted on social media that he was being prevented from entering France, stating "I am at Charles De Gaulle airport. They are preventing me from entering France."