Israel has condemned the European Parliament for recently inviting a Palestinian terrorist to speak at the venue, and has urged the European Union to take steps to prevent members of designated terror groups from doing so in the future.
In a letter to European Parliament president David Sassoli, Israel’s minister of strategic affairs Gilan Erdan expressed his “dismay” that Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) member Khaled Barakat, who also serves in the BDS-promoting NGO “Samidoun” was invited to speak to the parliament by Spanish MEP Manu Pineda.
“Barakat, a PFLP Central Committee member was recently prohibited by German authorities from speaking at a political event due to his ties to terror … and the European Parliament must not be used as a platform for members of murderous terrorist organisations,” wrote Erdan.
The PFLP is considered a terrorist organisation by the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia and the European Union.
Barakat, who was joined by Mohammed Khatib—the European coordinator for Samidoun—who were prominently featured in Israel’s Ministry of Strategic Affairs recent report “Terrorists in Suits,” which revealed the close ties shared between the BDS movement, and the terrorist groups Hamas and the PFLP.
Erdan also urged the European Parliament to urgently “put in place a robust system to ensure that members of designated terrorist organisations such as the PFLP are not allowed to enter the European Parliament in the future. Such unfortunate occurrences must not be allowed to repeat themselves. The European Parliament must never be a platform for terrorists.”