The delegation was travelling to Ramallah following an invitation from Palestinian unions, with the aim of meeting workers and representatives of Palestinian organisations. Among its members was Giota Lazaropoulou, president of the National Bank Employees’ Union and a member of New Left’s Central Committee.

In a statement, ELAS strongly condemned the ban and the expulsion, saying the Israeli authorities had once again taken ‘illegal actions against citizens who wish to express their solidarity with the Palestinian people’. The party said the actions violated both international law and article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

ELAS also linked the incident to the recent interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which it described as ‘an act of international piracy’.

The party called on the Greek government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take an immediate position and convey to the Israeli side the seriousness of these actions, proceeding with the necessary diplomatic protests.

It also called on the European Union to adopt specific measures against the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, proposing the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement due to violation of its human rights clause, as well as sanctions on individuals and entities that, it said, participate in Israeli policy in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Iran.

New Left also denounced the Israeli authorities’ decision to bar entry and deport the six Greek trade unionists, calling it an ‘arbitrary and provocative action’.

The party said the expulsion formed part of an attempt to isolate the Palestinian people and obstruct international presence in the West Bank.

‘We have reached the point where the occupying state of Israel decides who can meet Palestinian workers in their own land,’ New Left said in its statement.

The party called on the Greek government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take an immediate position on the issue and request official explanations from the Israeli authorities.

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