Greece voices concern over Israel deporting union delegation

Greece's Foreign Ministry late Sunday expressed concern over Israeli authorities' denial of entry to and subsequent deportation of a Greek trade union delegation bound for the West Bank, stating that the travelers had complied with all entry requirements and declared their purpose of visit beforehand.

Deportation incident

The delegation comprised Greek citizens representing labor unions who had received an invitation from Palestinian officials to travel to Ramallah, according to the ministry’s statement. Israeli authorities blocked their entry without elaborating on specific reasons for the refusal, deporting the group shortly after their arrival.

Ministry statement

“We express our concern over the Israeli authorities’ denial of entry and the deportation of Greek citizens, representatives of trade unions, whose final destination was Ramallah, after being invited by the Palestinian side,” the ministry said. Officials noted that the travelers had followed standard protocols, adding that “the Greek citizens involved had met all entry requirements into the country and had declared the purpose of their visit to the authorities.”

Visit details

The ministry disclosed no further details regarding the specific border crossing where the denial occurred or the circumstances surrounding the deportation. The delegation had received an invitation from Palestinian officials to visit Ramallah prior to their attempted entry.