Israel prevents European MP from entering its land

ALBAWABA - The European Union criticized Israel for preventing a Spanish deputy from entering Palestinian territories and deporting her to her country.

The Spanish representative in the European Parliament, Ana Miranda, was on her way with a European parliamentary delegation on an official visit to the Palestinian territories, on Monday, before being prevented from entering the West Bank, while she was at Ben Gurion Airport.

Miranda said in a short video she posted on her Twitter account that after hours of waiting, since nine o'clock in the evening, Israel did not allow her to enter its territories, and that it was almost five o'clock in the morning and she was deported on the first plane bound for Madrid.

Diplomatic insult

In media statements, the representative said that the action taken by the Israeli authorities against her was a "diplomatic insult" and showed disrespect for the European Union's legislature.

She also said that it is unacceptable for Israel to exercise control over the members of the delegation that "was heading to Palestine, and not to Israel."

After the incident, Israel stated that Miranda was prevented from entering the country because she participated in an international flotilla of civilian ships carrying aid to Gaza in 2015, following an Israeli blockade imposed on the city at the time.

Israel bans entry of European Parliament representatives to its territory

This comes after a decision was issued to ban European representatives, who expressed support for terrorist organizations or who tried in the past to enter Israel illegally, from entering its land.

According to the information circulated, Miranda got the green light to enter Israel while completing travel procedures, but Manu Pineda, yet another member of the European Parliament, was denied entry.

The four-day official visit of the members of the European Parliament includes trips to the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.