Democratic leaders blast Israel for banning Tlaib, Omar
Pro-Israel Democrats are blasting Israel’s decision to ban two pro-Palestinian lawmakers from visiting the West Bank following pressure from President Donald Trump.
Pro-Israel Democrats railed against Israel’s decision to ban US Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., from visiting the West Bank. The decision was made under apparent pressure from President Donald Trump.
Key Democratic leaders who had previously clashed with Tlaib and Omar over their vocal support for the pro-Palestinian boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement wasted no time in publicly urging the Israelis to reverse course.
“The decision of the Israeli government to deny entry to Israel by two members of Congress is outrageous, regardless of their itinerary or their views,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said in a statement, noting that he had urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to ban the two lawmakers as recently as Wednesday.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., who had made a similar case to Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer on Wednesday, also argued that "refusing entry to members of Congress looks like Israel closing itself off to criticism and dialogue.”
