European Parliament delegation members denied entry to Israel in controversial move

LONDON

Two members of the European Parliament (MEPs), including Lynn Boylan who chairs the European Parliament’s EU-Palestine delegation, and two European Parliament staff members were refused entry to Israel.

Boylan, a left-wing MEP from the Sinn Fein party in Ireland, and fellow left-wing MEP Rima Hassan of the French political party La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) were denied entry at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport.

Boylan expressed outrage over the refusal.

“This utter contempt from Israel is the result of the international community failing to hold them to account,” Boylan said in a statement.

She highlighted the purpose of the visit, which was to engage with the Palestinian Authority, civil society organizations, and the Palestinian people who have suffered under Israel’s ongoing occupation and military actions.

Boylan condemned Israel’s actions as "genocidal" and called on Europe to take concrete steps, including sanctions, against Israel for its treatment of Palestinians.

Hassan also voiced strong condemnation.

“The State of Israel clearly wants to prevent elected representatives from witnessing the extent of the human rights violations it commits on the ground,” she said.

Hassan emphasized that the refusal was a stark demonstration of Israel’s impunity on the global stage and vowed to continue calling for sanctions as long as Palestinians continue to suffer from human rights violations.

The Left bloc in the European Parliament has expressed unified support for its members, demanding that elected representatives must be allowed to fulfill their duties without obstruction, whether in Europe or abroad.

The incident came amid ongoing discussions in Brussels about the EU’s relations with Israel, particularly within the context of the EU-Israel Association Council.

Despite the ongoing violence in Gaza and the West Bank, which the European Left has labeled as breaches of international law and "genocidal," the EU has chosen to resume normal relations with Israel.

"The Left stands with its elected representatives and with the people of Palestine, and will continue to apply pressure for the immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement," they said in a statement.