Two MPs ‘astounded’ to be denied entry to Israel returning to UK, minister says

Two Labour MPs who were denied entry to Israel are on their way home to the UK, a minister has said.

Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed have said that they are “astounded” by the decision of the Israeli authorities to not allow them into the country.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy has described the incident as “unacceptable, counterproductive and deeply concerning” and spoken to his counterpart in Israel about the matter.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones told Sky News that the women were held at the airport on arrival.

“They’re now on the way home to the United Kingdom,” Mr Jones added.

“But the Foreign Secretary has spoken to his counterpart in the Israeli government overnight to say that clearly, it’s unacceptable for British members of parliament on a parliamentary delegation to be detained in that way.”

Ms Mohamed and Ms Yang were denied entry because they were suspected of wanting to “to document Israeli security forces and spread hateful rhetoric against Israel”, the population authority said according to The Times Of Israel.

They have said they had made the trip with charity partners as part of an MPs’ delegation “to visit humanitarian aid projects and communities in the West Bank”.

The Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu) and Medical Aid for Palestinians (Map) said they had organised the delegation that included the two MPs.

The organisations said they had been organising such trips for “over a decade” and the group had “informed the UK consul general in Jerusalem of their visit”.

In a statement on Sunday morning, Ms Yang and Ms Mohamed said it is “vital” that parliamentarians are able to “witness first-hand” the situation on the ground in Palestine.

They said:  “We’re astounded at the unprecedented step taken by the Israeli authorities to refuse British MPs entry on our trip to visit the occupied West Bank.

“It is vital that parliamentarians are able to witness first-hand the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory.”

The message, shared on Ms Mohamed’s X page, said they have “spoken out in Parliament in recent months” on the Israel-Palestine conflict, and “parliamentarians should feel free to speak truthfully in the House of Commons without fear of being targeted”.

Ms Yang represents the constituency of Earley and Woodley, in Berkshire, while Ms Mohamed represents Sheffield Central.

Both were elected to Parliament in July.

The Foreign Secretary said he had “made clear” to his counterparts in the Israeli government that it is “no way to treat British parliamentarians”.

Mr Lammy said on Saturday night: “It is unacceptable, counterproductive and deeply concerning that two British MPs on a parliamentary delegation to Israel have been detained and refused entry by the Israeli authorities.”

He added: “The UK Government’s focus remains securing a return to the ceasefire and negotiations to stop the bloodshed, free the hostages and end the conflict in Gaza.”

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said that she is “not surprised” the MPs were detained.

Speaking to Sky News, Mrs Badenoch said that “every country should be able to control its borders, and that’s what Israel is doing, as far as I understand”.

Asked whether the decision seemed “odd”, Mrs Badenoch added: “I’m not surprised.”

Ms Yang and Ms Mohamed have both spoken out in Parliament about Israel’s actions in Gaza.

In January Ms Yang told the Commons about the “atrocious conditions” faced by medics in Gaza, while in November Ms Mohamed asked a minister to “review all diplomatic, economic and political relations with Israel” to ensure the UK is “not complicit with the atrocities taking place in Gaza, the West Bank and in Lebanon”.