Africa News 24 Pretoria Bureau
RAMALLAH, Palestine — The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has strongly condemned Israel’s decision to expel members of a European Parliament delegation, calling it an “outrageous” move that undermines diplomatic engagement and international law.
The incident occurred last night at Tel Aviv airport, where Israeli authorities detained and subsequently expelled MEPs Rima Hassan and Lynn Boylan. The two parliamentarians were part of an official European Union delegation to Palestine and were scheduled to hold high-level meetings with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the EU representative, and members of civil society.
In a statement, the Palestinian Ministry criticised Israel for barring access to the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, asserting that Israel, as an occupying power, has no legal right to restrict entry into Palestine, particularly for diplomatic representatives.
“By preventing the delegation’s entry, Israel has not only obstructed diplomatic engagement but also shown blatant disregard for the European Parliament and the European people as a whole,” the ministry stated.
The ministry further accused Israel of attempting to prevent European officials from witnessing alleged human rights violations in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. It described the expulsion as part of a broader strategy to avoid international scrutiny and suppress criticism of its actions.
More from Africa News 24
Palestinian officials have called on the European Union and the European Parliament to take strong action in response, including considering reciprocal measures such as restricting Israeli representatives’ access to European institutions. The ministry urged European leaders to hold Israel accountable, stating that failure to act would undermine the credibility of international diplomatic norms.
As tensions rise over the expulsion, calls for a stronger European stance on Israel’s policies in the occupied territories are likely to intensify. The European Parliament has yet to issue an official response.
