‘No state should be beyond criticism’: Labour MPs defiant after being denied entry to Israel

The two Labour MPs denied entry into Israel while on a trip to visit the occupied West Bank have spoken in the House of Commons for the first time since their detention.

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

But they were refused entry because they intended to “spread hate speech” against Israel, the nation’s population and immigration authority said.

In a statement to the commons on Monday afternoon, Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer said that this is “first time a British MP has been barred from entering Israel.”

He added: “That decision appears to have been taken on the basis of comments made in this chamber.

“As the foreign secretary [David Lammy] has made clear, and as I am sure almost every member of this House will agree, their treatment is unacceptable and it is deeply concerning.

“It is no way to treat democratically elected representatives of a close partner nation, and we have made this clear at the highest levels in Israel.”

Wendy Morton, the Conservative Party spokesperson, refused to condemn the response of Israel in line with comments delivered by Kemi Badenoch over the weekend.

She said: “I think it’s important that we put this all within the context of Britain’s relationship with Israel.

“Israel is a key security and defence partner for the United Kingdom, and it is the only democracy in the Middle East. Their security matters and helps to keep us safe, including dealing with threats that undermine our interests.

“It is only by maintaining that trust and respect that Britain can bring influence to bear on issues that really matter for peace and security in the Middle East.”

Morton returned to her place on the opposition frontbench to cries of “shame” from Labour MPs.

Falconer responded: “I had hoped that the honourable lady [Morton] might come to the despatch box in order to withdraw the comments of the leader of the opposition – comments that the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury was not prepared to support.

“I remain none the wiser from her comments what the position of the Conservative Party is.”

Addressing MPs for the first time since arriving back from Israel, Abtisam Mohamed reflected on a “challenging few days”.

She said: “What happened to myself and the MP Earley and Woodley [Yang] has been unprecedented. We were denied entry based on our legitimate political opinions, which are firmly aligned with international law.

“No state, however powerful, should be beyond criticism.”

Yuan Yang said: “I hope the minister will be able to work with his counterparts in Israel to prevent this happening again so that we can continue to act in good faith to shed light on what is happening.”

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