Two British MPs Deported from Israel While Trying to Discuss Gaza Ceasefire
Two Members of Parliament from the UK's governing Labour Party were denied entry into Israel and were sent back.
Iwan Young and Abtasam Mohammad had informed Israel that they were visiting as part of a "government parliamentary delegation," but Israel's Ministry of Immigration dismissed this claim and expressed doubts, suspecting that they were "trying to document the actions of security forces and spread anti-Israel hatred."
On Saturday, they arrived at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport from London’s Luton Airport. Later, they issued a joint statement saying that being denied entry to Israel was an "unusual and shocking" experience for them.
They stated, "It is crucial that Members of Parliament can directly see the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories." They also mentioned that their visit was organized by a UK charity, and they aimed to highlight the importance of respecting the Israel-Palestine conflict and international human rights law.
Israel has denied allegations of committing genocide in Gaza, but many countries in the international community consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be illegal, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has repeatedly warned about the need to prevent genocide in Gaza.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned the incident, calling it "unacceptable" and "deeply concerning." He added, "I have contacted the Israeli government and made it clear that British MPs should not be treated in this way. We have reached out to the MPs and promised them all necessary support."
Lammy further said, "The UK government's goal is to restore the ceasefire and initiate talks to stop the bloodshed in Gaza."
