Two British Labour MPs have spoken out in disbelief after being refused entry to Israel, where they had planned to join a delegation visiting Judea and Samaria, the BBC reported Sunday.
Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang said they were “astounded” by the Israeli government's decision and called it an alarming attempt to silence parliamentary voices critical of its policies.
“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 quoted by the BBC. “Parliamentarians should feel free to speak truthful in the House of Commons, without fear of being targeted.”
The two lawmakers, elected in 2024, had traveled from London Luton Airport on Saturday alongside aides. Upon arrival, they were denied entry and returned to the UK the following day.
Interior Minister Moshe Arbel ordered the ban, citing security grounds and accusing the MPs of intending to promote “hate speech” and document Israeli military activity.
The Israeli embassy in London issued a statement defending the move, saying the country “will not allow the entry of individuals or entities that act against the state and its citizens.”
It alleged that both MPs had previously made false claims against Israel and supported campaigns promoting sanctions against Israeli ministers. The embassy added that the lawmakers’ trip came “at a time when Israel is at war and under attack on seven fronts.”
Mohamed and Yang said their visit was organized in partnership with UK-based NGOs that have facilitated similar parliamentary delegations for over a decade. They emphasized that their aim was to observe humanitarian work in Judea and Samaria and meet with aid organizations and diplomats.
When they were questioned upon their arrival in Israel, the two claimed to be part of an official delegation from the British Parliament. This was later found to be untrue, after no official Israeli source was familiar with the arrival of such a delegation.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy strongly criticized Israel’s action, calling it “unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning.”
He added that the Foreign Office had been in touch with the MPs and that he had raised the matter with Israeli officials. “This is no way to treat British parliamentarians,” Lammy said.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch defended Israel’s right to enforce its border policy, saying it was “significant” that another nation had refused entry to members of the UK Parliament.
“What I think is shocking is that we have MPs in Labour [who] other countries won’t allow through,” she told the BBC.