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European Parliament Delegation for relations with Palestine
European parliament delegation From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Delegation for Relations with Palestine (DPAL) is an official delegation of the European Parliament responsible for maintaining parliamentary relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC).[2] The delegation plays a key role in promoting the European Union’s commitment to a two-state solution in the region.[3]
DPAL is part of the European Parliament's broader framework for international parliamentary cooperation and is composed of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from various political groups and member states.[4]
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History
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The European Parliament's engagement with the Palestinian people began in November 1993, shortly after the signing of the Oslo Accords between the Government of Israel and the PLO. In response, the Parliament created an ad hoc delegation to manage relations with the Palestinian leadership.[5]
Following the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority in 1994, the Parliament formalized its engagement by establishing a standing delegation, officially titled the "Delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council (DPLC)", on 12 December 1996.[6]
On 9 September 2015, the delegation was renamed the "Delegation for relations with Palestine (DPAL)".[7] This change followed the Parliament's adoption of a resolution on 17 December 2014, expressing support in principle for the recognition of Palestinian statehood.[8]
Although political groups in the Parliament have occasionally proposed creating a single joint delegation for managing relations with both Israel and the Palestinian territories, such a proposal has not been implemented.[9]
From 1999, the delegation was chaired by Italian MEP Luisa Morgantini, who played a prominent role in advocating for Palestinian right of return, for which she was later incarcerated by the Israeli authorities.[10] Morgantini led missions to Gaza, condemning the siege and describing the territory as an "open-air prison".[11]
In 2004, Cypriot MEP Adamos Adamou succeeded Morgantini as chair, serving until 2009. During his tenure, the delegation faced difficulties accessing Gaza, particularly after the 2008–2009 Gaza conflict.[12] Israeli authorities began blocking DPAL visits, citing security concerns. These restrictions intensified in subsequent years, with delegations repeatedly denied entry to Gaza, compelling the delegation to meet Palestinian representatives primarily in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.[13]
The delegation’s chairs throughout the 2010s, including Kyriacos Triantaphyllides, Neoklis Sylikiotis, and later Manu Pineda, continued to highlight human rights violations and the adverse effects of the Israeli blockade on Gaza.[14] In response, Israeli authorities increasingly barred individual members from entry due to their activism or association with pro-Palestinian initiatives such as flotillas aiming to break the blockade.[15]
In May 2022, Chair Manu Pineda was officially denied entry into Israel ahead of a planned delegation visit to investigate the killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, sparking protests from, Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Parliament.[16][17] Similar denials followed in 2023, with another delegation member, Ana Miranda Paz, deported despite prior approval, due to her participation in freedom flotillas.[18]
Similarly, In early 2025 when Chair Lynn Boylan and fellow MEP Rima Hassan were denied entry at Ben Gurion Airport, leading to the cancellation of the delegation’s mission.[19] This action, including the confiscation of diplomatic passports and phones, was condemned by the European Parliament as "a serious affront to diplomatic norms" and the EU’s role in the Middle East peace process.[20][21]
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Members
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As of the current term, the Delegation consists of 14 full members and 11 substitute members. It is chaired by Lynn Boylan (The Left, Ireland), with Barry Andrews (Renew, Ireland) serving as First Vice-Chair, and Matjaž Nemec (S&D, Slovenia) as Second Vice-Chair.
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List of Chairs
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See also
Notes
References
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