TWO Labour MPs were turned away by Israeli authorities after landing in the country on Saturday (5). Abtisam Mohamed, MP for Sheffield Central, and Yuan Yang, MP for Earley and Woodley, along with two aides, were detained upon arrival and later deported.
Israel's population and immigration authority claimed the MPs intended to "spread hate speech" against Israel and "document the activities of security forces".
Home minister Moshe Arbel personally denied entry to all four travellers after they were questioned, reports said.
The MPs expressed their astonishment at the decision, saying they were part of a trip organised by UK charities with "over a decade of experience in taking parliamentary delegations". They defended their right to speak freely in Parliament "without fear of being targeted".
Foreign secretary David Lammy condemned the incident as "unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning", adding he had made it clear to his Israeli counterparts that "this is no way to treat British parliamentarians".
Yuan Yang (Photo: UK Parliament)
Both Mohamed and Yang, who entered Parliament following the 2024 election, have been vocal about the Israel-Hamas conflict. Mohamed previously organised a cross-party letter calling for a ban on goods from Israeli settlements on Palestinian territory. She has also criticised Israel for withholding humanitarian aid from Gaza.
Yang has advocated for sanctions against certain Israeli ministers who suggested building settlements in northern Gaza to encourage Palestinians to leave. She has also highlighted the dangers faced by journalists and medical workers in Palestinian territories.
Israeli authorities contested claims that the MPs were part of an official parliamentary delegation, adding that no Israeli official had acknowledged such a visit.
The incident occurs against the backdrop of ongoing hostilities in Gaza, where more than 50,000 people have reportedly been killed since the war began following Hamas's attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. Recent reports indicate 1,309 deaths since the ceasefire ended on 18 March.
The UK government continues to push for "a return to the ceasefire and negotiations to stop the bloodshed, free the hostages and end the conflict in Gaza," Lammy said in a statement.
According to reports, the MPs and their aides left Israel early Sunday morning.
(with inputs from agencies)
