Britain expressed anger after Israeli authorities blocked two MPs from entering the country to visit the occupied West Bank. Israel accused lawmakers of supporting boycotts against it.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said late Saturday that it was “unacceptable and counterproductive, and a deep discussion was made”, with two British Parliament members detained and refused to enter Israel.
“I have told colleagues of the Israeli government that this is not a way to treat British MPs,” he said.
Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang said, “In the unprecedented steps taken by the Israeli authorities, they were shocked to deny British MPs’ trip to our visit to the occupied West Bank.”
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“It is crucial for lawmakers to witness the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory firsthand,” they said, adding that they plan to visit humanitarian aid projects and local communities.
Palestinian Medical Assistance, a charity that helped organize the visit, said the pair were questioned when they arrived at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport, and were denied entry and deported.
A statement from Israeli authorities accused two lawmakers of calling for boycott of Israel and said they were not visiting as part of an official delegation.
Israeli law prohibits non-citizens and non-residents who support the Palestinian-led international boycott campaign, called boycotts, deprivation and sanctions or BDS.
Supporters portray BDS as nonviolent activism based on similar campaigns to segregation South Africa. Israel sees the movement as an attack on its legitimacy and accuses some organizers of being subjected to anti-Semitism.
In February, Israel denied entering two EU lawmakers, accusing one of them promoting the country's boycott.
& Copy 2025 Canadian Press
