RAMALLAH, Tuesday, February 21, 2023 (WAFA) – Israeli occupation authorities today denied a member of the European Parliament (MEP) on an official mission entry into the occupied Palestinian territories.

The Greens/European Free Alliance (EFA) parliamentary group in the European Parliament said in a press release that in the early hours of the 21st of February, EFA MEP Ana Miranda was denied entry to Palestine by the Israeli authorities and deported to the Spanish state. The Galizan MEP was due to spend a few days in Palestine as a member of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with Palestine (DPAL).

“Upon arrival in Tel Aviv, Israel denied MEP Miranda entry, and therefore she could not carry out her duties as a member of DPAL. The Israeli authorities took no notice of her status as an MEP or as a member of the parliamentary delegation to Palestine. The rest of the delegation and MEPs were allowed to enter the state, while MEP Miranda was detained at the border. In a Facebook post overnight, Ms Miranda said that representatives of the Israeli border force showed a total lack of respect to her and her position as MEP.”

The parliamentary group added that Miranda was deported from Israel to Madrid shortly after 5 am.

“Her deportation by the Israeli authorities happened despite receiving official authorisation to travel to Israel from the relevant Israeli consular authority in Brussels before joining the DPAL mission to Palestine,” it added.

Commenting on the reason for her deportation, EFA said “The reason for her deportation was due to her involvement in the Freedom Flotilla III in 2015, which attempted to break the blockade of Gaza to provide much-needed humanitarian aid to civilians. She was detained and then deported along with other members of the flotilla.”

Reacting to her treatment and deportation, Miranda said: “Denying me entry is the price I am paying for standing up for human rights and denouncing Israel’s occupation of Palestine,” as quoted in the press release.

The group condemned “the treatment of Ana Miranda MEP overnight and the refusal to allow her entry to Israel to travel to Palestine to carry out the important duties expected of her as MEP and member of the Delegation for Relations with Palestine.”

“As a European political party, EFA also condemns the lack of respect shown to the European Parliament and its members by the Israeli authorities. Members of the European Parliament should be permitted to carry out their duties without intimidation or barriers.”

Commenting on the expulsion of Miranda, MEP Diana Riba i Giner tweeted: “Our colleague MEP @anamirandapaz has been expelled by Israel en route to Palestine on an official mission. This is unacceptable! The Members of the European Parliament must be defended in order do our work everywhere.

She called on EP President Roberta Metsola to take action.

K.F.