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). The delegation plays a key role in promoting the European Union’s commitment to a two-state solution in the region.

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.

History 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 Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). In response, the Parliament created an ad hoc delegation to manage relations with the Palestinian leadership.

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.

On 9 September 2015, the delegation was renamed the "Delegation for relations with Palestine (DPAL)". This change followed the Parliament's adoption of a resolution on 17 December 2014, expressing support in principle for the recognition of Palestinian statehood.

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.

From 1999, the delegation was chaired by Italian MEP Luisa Morgantini, who played a prominent role in advocating for Palestinian right of return. Morgantini led missions to Gaza, condemning the siege and describing the territory as an "open-air prison".

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. 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.

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. 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.

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. Similar denials followed in 2023, with another delegation member, Ana Miranda Paz, deported despite prior approval, due to her participation in freedom flotillas.

Similarly, In early 2025 when Chair Lynn Boylan and fellow MEP Rima Hassan (of Palestinian origin) were denied entry at Ben Gurion Airport, leading to the cancellation of the delegation's mission. 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.

Members 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. +Current members Member Role European parliamentary group Country National party/alliance Lynn Boylan Chair The Left in the European Parliament Sinn Féin Barry Andrews Vice-Chair Renew Europe Fianna Fáil Matjaž Nemec Vice-Chair Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Social Democrats Maravillas Abadía Member European People's Party Group People's Party Galato Alexandraki Member European Conservatives and Reformists Group Greek Solution Jaume Asens Member Greens–European Free Alliance Sumar Adrian-George Axinia Member European Conservatives and Reformists Group Alliance for the Union of Romanians Annalisa Corrado Member Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Democratic Party Rima Hassan Member The Left in the European Parliament La France Insoumise Pierre Jouvet Member Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Socialist Party Irena Joveva Member Renew Europe Freedom Movement Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos Member NI Communist Party of Greece Villy Søvndal Member Greens–European Free Alliance Green Left Matthieu Valet Member Patriots for Europe National Rally Substitute Alex Agius Saliba Substitute Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Labour Party Marc Botenga Substitute The Left in the European Parliament Workers' Party of Belgium Sigrid Friis Frederiksen Substitute Renew Europe Danish Social Liberal Party Ana Miranda Paz Substitute Greens-European Free Alliance Galician Nationalist Bloc Irene Montero Substitute The Left in the European Parliament Podemos Leoluca Orlando Substitute Greens-European Free Alliance Independent Elena Sancho Murillo Substitute Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Spanish Socialist Workers' Party Antonella Sberna Substitute European Conservatives and Reformists Group Brothers of Italy Cecilia Strada Substitute Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Democratic Party Francesco Ventola Substitute European Conservatives and Reformists Group Brothers of Italy Lucia Yar Substitute Renew Europe Progressive Slovakia

List of Chairs Portrait Office holder Term start Term end Nationality European Parliament Group Post in Parliament Parliament Source Luisa Morgantini 20 July 1999 19 July 2004 The Left Vice president of the European Parliament (2007–2009)Chair of the Committee on Development (2004–2006)Subcommittee on Human Rights Fifth Adamos Adamou 20 September 2004 14 March 2007 Member of the Committee on Regional Development Sixth Kyriacos Triantaphyllides 21 March 2007 13 July 2009 Member of the Committee on Regional Development; delegations to EU–Australia/New Zealand and Euro-Mediterranean Proinsias De Rossa 16 September 2009 1 February 2012 S&D Member of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Seventh Martina Anderson 13 October 2014 29 January 2017 The Left Member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Eighth Neoklis Sylikiotis 30 January 2017 1 July 2019 The Left Substitute in ACP‑EU & Mediterranean delegations Manu Pineda 26 September 2019 15 July 2024 Shadow rapporteur in AFET Ninth Lynn Boylan 30 September 2024 Incumbent Member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Tenth

See also Committees of the European Parliament European Parliament Delegation for relations with South Africa

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