Israel Bars Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib From Entering Country Over BDS Support

Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), two of Israels sharpest critics in Congress, have been barred from entering the country ahead of their proposed visit to the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, Israeli officials said Thursday.

The decision has been made [and] the decision is not to allow them to enter, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely told Israels Reshet Radio, Reuters reported .

Israel decided to ban the freshman lawmakers in response to their support for the pro-Palestinian boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.

BDS seeks to put economic pressure on Israel to recognize the movements demands, which include equal rights for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel and the countrys withdrawal from the occupied territories.

Under Israeli law, supporters of the movement can be denied entry to the country. The decision to bar the congresswomen comes after Israels ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer, said last month that Omar and Tlaib would be allowed to visit.

Out of respect for the U.S. Congress and the great alliance between Israel and America, we would not deny entry to any member of Congress into Israel, he said.

President Donald Trump tweeted Thursday that it would show great weakness if Israel allowed Omar and Tlaib to visit, calling the congresswomen a disgrace.

Omar and Tlaib condemned Netanyahus decision in separate statements, with the Minnesota lawmaker calling it Israels version of Trumps Muslim ban.

Denying entry into Israel not only limits our ability to learn from Israelis, but to enter the Palestinian territories, she said in a statement. Sadly, this is not a surprise given the public positions of Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has consistently resisted peace efforts, restricted the freedom of movement of Palestinians, limited public knowledge of the brutal realities of the occupation and aligned himself with Islamophobes like Donald Trump.

It is an affront that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, under pressure from President Trump, would deny entry to representatives of the U.S. government.

My full statement: pic.twitter.com/v00ESmehXT

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It is an affront that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, under pressure from President Trump, would deny entry to representatives of the U.S. government.

My full statement: pic.twitter.com/v00ESmehXT
Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) August 15, 2019

This woman right here is my sity. She deserves to live in peace & with human dignity. I am who I am because of her. The decision by Israel to bar her granddaughter, a U.S. Congresswoman, is a sign of weakness b/c the truth of what is happening to Palestinians is frightening. pic.twitter.com/GGcFLiH9N3

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The decision by Israel to bar her granddaughter, a U.S. Congresswoman, is a sign of weakness b/c the truth of what is happening to Palestinians is frightening. pic.twitter.com/GGcFLiH9N3 Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) August 15, 2019\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":899,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ECCD8sMWsAAOtDQ.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":1599,"title":"Rashida Tlaib on 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This woman right here is my sity. She deserves to live in peace & with human dignity. I am who I am because of her. The decision by Israel to bar her granddaughter, a U.S. Congresswoman, is a sign of weakness b/c the truth of what is happening to Palestinians is frightening. pic.twitter.com/GGcFLiH9N3
Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) August 15, 2019

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the decision to block their visit in a Facebook post , saying no other country respects America and the American Congress more than the State of Israel.

A week ago, Israel warmly welcomed some 70 Democratic and Republican members of Congress, who expressed broad bipartisan support for Israel, which was also demonstrated a month ago in a resounding bipartisan vote against BDS in Congress, he wrote. However, the itinerary of the two Congresswomen reveals that the sole purpose of their visit is to harm Israel and increase incitement against it.

Last year, Omar and Tlaib became the first Muslim women elected to Congress. Tlaib, an American of Palestinian heritage, has family in the West Bank.

Netanyahu in his statement Thursday said Israels minister of the interior would consider a humanitarian request from Tlaib to visit her relatives if she pledges not to act to promote boycotts against Israel during her visit.