Israeli authorities alleged the British MPs planned to incite hatred during their trip.
Two British Members of Parliament known for their pro-Palestinian stance were denied entry to Israel and deported. This action followed accusations from Israeli authorities that they misrepresented the purpose of their visit and intended to promote anti-Israel sentiment.
Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang, both affiliated with the ruling Labour Party, arrived in Tel Aviv at 2:30 pm local time on Saturday, accompanied by two staff members. During questioning at Ben Gurion Airport, they stated to border officials that they were part of an official UK parliamentary delegation, a statement that Israeli immigration officials deemed “false.”
Israeli officials asserted that the MPs planned to “document Israeli security forces and spread hateful rhetoric.” Interior Minister Moshe Arbel ordered their deportation “in accordance with the law.”
The Israeli Embassy in London released a statement saying that Mohamed and Yang were denied entry “after accusing Israel of false claims, calling for a boycott, spreading lies, and actively promoting sanctions against Israeli ministers while supporting campaigns aimed at boycotting the State of Israel.”
“The visit was intended to provoke, harm Israeli citizens, and spread falsehoods about them,” the embassy stated, according to British media reports. “It is Israel’s responsibility to prevent the entry of such individuals (just as is the practice in the United Kingdom).”
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the decision as “unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning.”
“I have made clear to my counterparts in the Israeli government that this is no way to treat British Parliamentarians, and we have been in contact with both MPs tonight to offer our support,” he stated. Lammy reiterated the government’s dedication to “securing a return to the ceasefire and negotiations to stop the bloodshed, free the hostages and end the conflict in Gaza.”
Mohamed, the UK’s first MP of Yemeni heritage, has been a strong critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza, accusing the country of the “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians. She previously urged the British government to “review its relationship with Israel” and launched a campaign seeking to ban Israeli products.
Yang, the UK’s first MP of Chinese origin, has urged the UK government to place sanctions on Israeli officials.