Lynn Boylan Urges EU Response as Delegation Denied Entry to Israel: Call for Action

Israel Denies Entry to EU Delegation,Sparks Diplomatic Tensions

an official European Parliament delegation,including Irish MEP Lynn Boylan,was denied entry to Palestine via Israel,igniting a diplomatic row.Boylan described Israel’s actions as “an insult to all members of the EU.” The incident occurred on Monday, prompting strong condemnation from the MEP and raising questions about EU-israel relations.

MEP Boylan: “An Insult to All in the EU”

Lynn Boylan, a Sinn Féin MEP and chair of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with Palestine, was among those denied entry.According to Boylan,the delegation was effectively deported. She stated, “Israel’s blocking of MEPs and senior EU officials from travelling to Palestine is an insult to all in the EU.”

• The delegation intended to visit Palestine as part of an official European Parliament mission.
• Boylan, along with French MEP Rima Hassan and two senior civil servants, were detained upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport and subsequently returned to Brussels.
• The Dublin MEP emphasized the EU’s significant financial support to Palestine, adding, “The EU is the largest donor of support to Palestine and its officials and elected representatives must be able to be on the ground in Palestine as part of this work.”

EU-Israel Relations Strained

The timing of the incident coincided with EU-israel association council talks, adding fuel to the fire. Boylan highlighted the incongruity, stating, “it’s notably insulting that this happened on the same day that the EU itself held a series of talks with Israel as part of the EU-israel association council, but MEPs and officials trying to travel through Israel were blocked and deported.” She has urged a strong response from the EU, arguing, “European leaders must send a message to Israel and make it clear that they cannot continue to act without consequences.” the incident raises serious concerns about the diplomatic relationship between the EU and Israel.

Details of the Detention

Boylan described the experience at Ben Gurion Airport. The delegation was scheduled to stay in East Jerusalem until Thursday evening and had planned meetings with members of the Knesset and Israeli politicians. “We were due to meet with members of the Knesset, we were due to meet with Israeli politicians as well. It’s about strengthening dialogue. It’s about constructive engagement – and we were prevented from doing our job yesterday,” Boylan explained.

• The visit had been approved by the European Parliament and coordinated with Israeli authorities via the EU embassy in Palestine.
• Upon arrival, security officials escorted them to an interrogation room for approximately 1 hour 40 minutes.
• Thier bags were searched,and their phones,tablets,and passports were confiscated.

Treatment on Return Flight

The return journey was also fraught with unpleasantness. Boylan recounted the experience on RTÉ radio, stating, “We were stood there with, again, security around us, so that everybody boarding the plane were aware that we were, I suppose, ‘persons of interest’. We were the reason why their flight had been delayed.” She added that passengers filmed them and shouted abuse.Furthermore, “Myself and the two officials were together, but they put Ms Hassan down the very back of the plane on her own, at which point I objected and said I didn’t think it was safe for her to be sitting on her own down the back, but they refused to change and said that they called security if we challenged it.”

privacy Concerns and Data Handling

boylan also expressed concerns about the handling of her data and privacy. she noted that photographs of her and the other members of the group have been spread on social media. “Whatever about being a politician,that’s very unfair on civil servants. They’re just there to do their job,” she said, emphasizing the unprecedented nature of civil servants being prevented from continuing their mission. “To stop the civil servants traveling and meeting up with the rest of the delegation, and then for those civil servants to have their their faces put out into the public domain is deeply concerning.” Furthermore, her Irish diplomatic passport was not returned until she arrived back in Belgium. Boylan added, “the EU was entirely blindsided by the fact that we were going to be treated in this way.” She also questioned whether her support for BDS was the reason for the denial of entry,stating,”If that was the case,they had months to refuse my admission.”

Looking Ahead

The implications of this incident extend beyond a single denied entry. It raises fundamental questions about the relationship between the EU and Israel, the freedom of movement for EU officials, and the scrutiny of EU funds allocated to Palestine. This event demands a thorough investigation and decisive action to ensure such incidents do not recur. What steps should the EU take to safeguard its diplomatic relations and protect its representatives? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.

What is the EU’s position on Israel’s recent actions regarding the denial of entry to MEPs and senior EU officials?

Archyde News Exclusive: In Depth with MEP Lynn Boylan on EU-Israel Diplomatic Storm

In light of recent events, Archyde sits down with Irish MEP Lynn Boylan, chair of the european Parliament delegation for relations with Palestine, to discuss Israel’s denial of entry to an EU delegation, sparking diplomatic tensions. Boylan, who was among those denied entry, shares insights into the incident and it’s implications for EU-Israel relations.

MEP Lynn Boylan: On Being Denied Entry by Israel

Archyde (A): MEP Boylan, thank you for joining us today. could you walk us through what happened at Ben Gurion Airport?

Lynn Boylan (LB): Thank you for having me. On Monday, our delegation, including myself, French MEP Rima Hassan, and two senior civil servants, arrived at Ben Gurion Airport. we were scheduled to stay in East Jerusalem until Thursday, with meetings planned with Knesset members and Israeli politicians. Instead, we were detained, searched, and our phones, tablets, and passports were confiscated.

A: How did you find out your visit was approved and coordinated with israeli authorities?

LB: Our visit was approved by the European Parliament, and we coordinated with Israeli authorities through the EU embassy in Palestine. Yet, we were still denied entry and deported.

Boylan: “An Insult to All in the EU”

A: You’ve described Israel’s action as “an insult to all members of the EU.” can you elaborate on that?

LB: The EU is the largest donor of support to Palestine. Israel’s blocking of MEPs and senior EU officials from traveling to Palestine is not only an insult to us but to all EU members. It undermines our ability to effectively support Palestine and monitor EU funds allocated there.

EU-Israel Relations under Scrutiny

A: The timing of this incident overlapped with EU-Israel association council talks.How does this incident affect EU-Israel relations?

LB: it raises serious concerns about the diplomatic relationship between the EU and Israel. Israel essentially snubbed the EU on the same day we were supposed to hold talks. This demands a strong response from the EU to ensure such incidents aren’t repeated.

A: Looking ahead, what steps should the EU take to safeguard its diplomatic relations and protect its representatives?

LB: The EU should make it clear to Israel that actions like these have consequences. This includes reviewing our relationship and ensuring the freedom of movement for EU officials. We should also thoroughly investigate the grounds for our deportation.

privacy Concerns and Data Handling

A: You’ve raised concerns about the handling of your data and privacy. could you expand on that?

LB: Our photographs were spread on social media, and my diplomatic passport was only returned once we reached Belgium. This raises questions about the protection of our data and privacy.Civil servants who were just there to do their job also had their faces put into the public domain, which is deeply concerning.

Boylan on BDS and the Way Forward

A: Was your support for BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) against Israel a factor in your denial of entry?

LB: If that was the case, they had months to refuse my admission. This was a sudden and unprovoked action. We must focus on the larger issue at hand: ensuring that EU officials have freedom of movement and can effectively support Palestine.

A: Thank you,MEP Boylan,for sharing your insights. Your thoughts?

LB: Thank you. I urge our readers to engage with this issue and share their thoughts. Our ability to effectively engage with Palestine is crucial,and we must ensure that this incident doesn’t set a precedent for future visits.