MEP Lynn Boylan calls on Government to intervene after Israel blocks EU delegation

The Sinn Féin MEP had been due to visit Ramallah but was deported after arriving at Tel Aviv airport

Israeli authorities confiscated Lynn Boylan's diplomatic passport for several hours, returning it only after she had returned to Belgium. Picture: Moya Nolan

Irish MEP Lynn Boylan has written to the Taoiseach and Tánaiste urging them to intervene after Israel denied an official EU delegation entry to Palestine.

As chair of the European Parliament Delegation to Palestine, Ms Boylan had been due to visit Ramallah on Monday but was deported after arriving at Tel Aviv airport along with the rest of the delegation.

Israeli authorities confiscated Ms Boylan's diplomatic passport for several hours, returning it only after she had returned to Belgium.

It is understood her phone was also taken for over an hour and accessed by Israeli authorities. She now intends to raise concerns over this with EU Commissioner Michael McGrath.

Ms Boylan has now urged the Irish Government to raise the issue directly with its Israeli counterparts and at a European Council level, describing it as "unacceptable" that an official European Parliament mission would be blocked in this way.

In her letter to Micheál Martin, the Sinn Féin MEP said: "At no point prior to departure from Brussels had Israeli authorities indicated that any participants in the mission would be refused entry - despite the names of such participants being provided well in advance.

"The purpose of our mission was to engage with Palestinians - including within the Palestinian Authority and civil society organisations - and to assess the situation on the ground in the West Bank. We were also scheduled to meet with members of the Knesset as part of our mission.

"I am sure that you will agree that parliamentary diplomacy and parliamentary dialogue have never been more vital that at this moment. The decision of the Israeli authorities today is not only disrespectful to the European Parliament but to the whole process of parliamentary diplomacy and is part of the wider culture of impunity which the Israeli Government has been allowed to enjoy."

Ms Boylan said the group will now seek to reorganise the mission, which had been approved by the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament and the Israeli authorities and would "appreciate the support of the Irish Government at EU level in this regard".

A spokesperson for the Israeli government said: "According to the Law of Entry to Israel, foreigners who have published a public call to impose a boycott on the State of Israel, as defined in the Law for the Prevention of Harm to the State of Israel through Boycotts, 5771–2011, or has undertaken to participate in such a boycott, will not be authorized to enter Israel."