Israeli authorities denied entry to Greek citizens representing labor unions and deported them after they attempted to travel to the West Bank city of Ramallah for meetings with Palestinian workers and trade union organizations, prompting reactions from Greece’s Foreign Ministry and political parties.
The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its dissatisfaction with the decision, stating that the representatives had completed all requirements for entering the country and had informed authorities about the purpose of their visit.
The group had been invited by the Palestinian side and planned to meet with Palestinian workers and unions in Ramallah.
Greek Foreign Ministry expresses dissatisfaction
In a statement, the Greek Foreign Ministry said it objected to the “ban on entry and deportation” of the Greek citizens, who were representatives of labor organizations.
The ministry emphasized that the travelers had fulfilled the necessary procedures and had openly declared the purpose of their trip to Israeli authorities.
The representatives were deported from Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport.
Political reactions in Greece
The incident triggered criticism from Greek political parties, including SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance, New Left and ANTARSYA.
New Left member Giota Lazaropoulou was among those participating in the delegation.
ANTARSYA condemned what it described as the denial of entry to Greek trade unionists seeking to visit the West Bank, as well as their deportation from Ben Gurion Airport. The party argued that the move targeted people expressing solidarity with Palestinians.
SYRIZA described the decision as another “provocative and authoritarian” action against international law, saying the Greek union representatives had scheduled meetings with Palestinian labor organizations in the West Bank.
The party also criticized the move as being connected to Israel’s policies in the Palestinian territories.
New Left criticizes decision
New Left said the decision represented another arbitrary action aimed at restricting international presence in the West Bank and preventing meetings with Palestinian workers.
The party argued that the measure affected efforts by international groups to engage with Palestinian society and expressed broader criticism of Israeli policies in the region.
