Martina Anderson detained by Israeli authorities at Tel Aviv Airport

Senior Derry Sinn Fein member Martina Anderson was detained yesterday by Israeli authorities.

The MEP, who was heading a European delegation to Palestine, was questioned for two hours at Tel Aviv Airport during which she was informed she would not be allowed to visit Gaza -  for a third time.

Ms Anderson (pictured above) also led GUE/NGL group delegation to Palestine in September last year which were also not permitted access to Gaza.

Speaking from East Jerusalem this morning, condemned the Israeli authorities’ decision, stating it was “unacceptable” that an official EU delegation to Palestine were refused entry to inspect the humanitarian situation and  the destruction in Gaza given that the EU was largest donor of finance to Palestinians. 

She added: “This has to stop!”

“Despite stating clearly that the remit of this delegation was to  identify areas in dire need of vital public services such as schools, health centres and food distribution centres, with a purely social, economic and humanitarian focus, we continue to be blocked”

“These blatant attempts to deter us from our mission will bear little fruit, we will take this opportunity to visit East Jerusalem which has been experiencing a lot of tension over the last year particularly over illegal settlements, house demolitions and access to the Al Aqsa compound. As well as meeting with UNRWA representatives.”

“I have also secured a crucially Important meeting with the Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat. who will brief us about the way forward and the role of the international community.”

She concluded: “The Israeli Government continue to oppress the Palestinian people by attacking them in the economic, cultural and political sphere's, yet we remain resolute in our will to bring this to the attention of the rest of the world, which is precisely, why MEPs are being denied the opportunity to witness for themselves the genocide that was committed in Gaza.”