Ankara: British lawmaker Zarah Sultana, who is among 11 lawmakers barred from entering Israel, on Tuesday called the move a "badge of honor," vowing that she will not be "intimidated into silence."

According to Anadolu Agency, Sultana expressed her defiance on the US social media platform X, stating, "Israel has just banned me from entering. Given that this is a fascist government presiding over genocide, apartheid and an illegal occupation, I'll wear it as a badge of honour." The ban on the lawmakers came in response to the UK government's announcement earlier Tuesday of a trade ban on illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Sultana, the Your Party MP for Coventry South, emphasized her commitment to continue speaking out against what she describes as "Israel's genocide and against the UK's complicity." She asserted that the ban only reinforces her determination to voice her concerns, accusing the UK government of maintaining ties with a state she claims is committing genocide against Palestinians.

She further expressed her aspirations for the future, stating, "One day, I look forward to visiting Jerusalem not as an occupied city, but as part of a free and liberated Palestine - a single state with equal rights for all, where Palestinians enjoy the freedom, dignity and equality that have been denied to them for far too long."

The list of other banned lawmakers includes Jeremy Corbyn, Naz Shah, Diane Abbott, Hannah Spencer, Carla Denyer, Sian Berry, Ellie Chowns, John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, and Adrian Ramsay.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ed Miliband addressed lawmakers in the House of Commons, declaring the day as the "beginning of a new approach" on Israel. He announced that the UK would implement an import ban on goods from illegal settlements, marking a significant policy shift.