Israel Denies Entry to EU Lawmakers Over Alleged Support for Boycotts, Sparking Diplomatic Tensions

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Posted by NewAdmin on 2025-02-25 08:49:16 |

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On February 24, 2025, Israel denied entry to two European Union lawmakers, Lynn Boylan and Rima Hassan, at Ben-Gurion Airport. The refusal was tied to allegations that Hassan, a French politician of Syrian origin, had actively promoted boycotts against Israel. According to Israel's Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, Hassan had made numerous public statements supporting boycotts of Israel through social media and media interviews. Boylan, the chair of the European Parliament’s EU-Palestine delegation, did not receive a specific explanation for her denial of entry.

Hassan is a member of the French left-wing party France Unbowed, and Boylan is from Sinn Féin in Ireland. Both have been vocal critics ofIsrael's policies, particularly in relation to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The move to bar them follows a law passed by Israel earlier in February, which prohibits entry to individuals who either deny the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack or express support for international prosecution of Israeli soldiers. The law also expands a previous measure that restricted entry to those supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, a Palestinian-led initiative aimed at pressuring Israel over its treatment of Palestinians. Israel views BDS as a threat to its legitimacy and often accuses its organizers of antisemitism, although they deny these allegations.

Boylan criticized Israel’s actions, calling the country a "rogue state" and accusing it of showing "utter contempt" for international law. She emphasized that the denial of entry was part of a broader pattern of Israel silencing its critics. Meanwhile, Hassan, who had been part of a EU-Palestine delegation and planned to meet with Palestinian officials, echoed similar criticisms. The Left group in the European Parliament had recently called for the immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement due to the ongoing investigations into potential war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza.

This incident occurred during the visit of Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, to Brussels, where he participated in a diplomatic meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council. Saar defended Israel’s position, acknowledging the right to face criticism but asserting that such criticism should not involve delegitimization or double standards. The incident reflects the ongoing tension between Israel and European lawmakers over issues related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly the criticism of Israeli actions in Gaza and the growing influence of the BDS movement.

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