Two MPs 'astounded' after being denied entry to Israel

Two Labour MPs say they are "astounded" to have been denied entry to Israel while on a trip to visit the occupied West Bank.

Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang said it was "vital" parliamentarians were able to witness the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory first-hand.

They were refused entry because they intended to "spread hate speech" against Israel, the nation's population and immigration authority said.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy criticised Israeli authorities, describing the move as "unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning".

But Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Israel had a right to "control its borders", adding it was "significant" there were Labour MPs other countries did not want to let in.

Yang, the MP for Earley and Woodley, and Mohamed, the MP for Sheffield Central, flew to Israel from London Luton Airport with two aides on Saturday afternoon.

The Israeli immigration authority said Interior Minister Moshe Arbel denied entry to all four passengers after they were questioned. It accused them of travelling to "document the security forces".

The Israeli embassy in London said in a statement on Saturday that the country "will not allow the entry of individuals or entities that act against the state and its citizens".

It said Mohamed and Yang had "accused Israel of false claims" and were "actively involved in promoting sanctions against Israeli ministers".

It also said they had supported campaigns aimed at boycotting the country "at a time when Israel is at war and under attack on seven fronts".

The UK Foreign Office said the group was part of a parliamentary delegation. However, Israel's immigration authority said the delegation had not been acknowledged by an Israeli official.

The Israeli embassy said the MPs "were offered hotel accommodation, which they declined" and the cost of their return flight to the UK was covered.

Israel's Interior Ministry said the MPs left the country early on Sunday.

Mohamed and Yang said their trip had been organised with UK charities that had "over a decade of experience in taking parliamentary delegations".

"We are two, out of scores of MPs, who have spoken out in Parliament in recent months on the Israel-Palestine conflict and the importance of complying with international humanitarian law," the MPs said in a joint statement.

"Parliamentarians should feel free to speak truthful in the House of Commons, without fear of being targeted."

Lammy said the Foreign Office had been in touch with both MPs to offer support, adding: "I have made clear to my counterparts in the Israeli government that this is no way to treat British parliamentarians."

The Council for Arab-British Understanding and Medical Aid for Palestinians - the latter of which is a registered UK charity - said in a joint statement that they had organised the trip.

"This visit was part of that long-standing programme," they said.

"When questioned, the group was clear, open and transparent about the aims and objectives of the visit, which included visiting a range of projects run by humanitarian and development organisations operating in the West Bank.

"The group had informed the UK consul general in Jerusalem of their visit and was planning to meet with them as part of the itinerary."

Both Yang and Mohamed - who were first elected in 2024 - have made several interventions on the Israel-Hamas conflict in Parliament.

In February, Mohamed initiated a cross-party letter, signed by 61 MPs and lords, calling for a ban on goods from Israeli settlements on Palestinian territory, citing an opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

She has also criticised Israel for withholding humanitarian aid from Gaza, telling the House of Commons in October that international law "prohibits the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare", and has mentioned humanitarian organisations' claims of "ethnic cleansing" in Gaza.

In January, Yang spoke in favour of bringing sanctions against Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, after they suggested building Israeli settlements in northern Gaza to encourage Palestinians to leave.

She has also highlighted the dangerous conditions journalists and medical professionals face while in the Palestinian territory.

When asked about Israel's decision, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that countries "should be able to control their borders".

"What I think is shocking is that we have MPs in Labour [who] other countries won't allow through," Badenoch said. "I think that's very significant."

Her comments were rebuffed by Emily Thornberry, the Labour chair of the foreign affairs select committee, who described Yang and Mohamed as "highly respected parliamentarians" and "potential leaders".

"Israel is badly advised to try and alienate them, to humiliate them and to treat them in this way," she told the programme.

"I think that it's an insult to Britain and I think it's an insult to Parliament."

Sir Ed Davey accused Badenoch of "yet another complete shocker".

The Liberal Democrat leader said she "has once again shown unbelievably poor judgement by failing to back two British MPs denied entry to Israel".

Lammy called Badenoch's comments "disgraceful", asking her: "Do you say the same about Tory MPs banned from China?"

During the war in Gaza, there have been protests, violent incidents and raids by Israeli forces in the West Bank. Hundreds of deaths have been reported there.

Israeli troops have been engaged in an extended operation in the occupied Palestinian territory, where two Palestinians were killed on Friday.

The current war began on 7 October 2023, when Hamas fighters launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza.

Since then, Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says more than 50,000 people have been killed. It said 1,309 people have died since a ceasefire ended on 18 March.

Lammy said: "The UK government's focus remains securing a return to the ceasefire and negotiations to stop the bloodshed, free the hostages and end the conflict in Gaza."