Israel announced it plans to block two American congresswomen from entering the country after President Donald Trump pressured the Jewish state to bar Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib from visiting.
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Add Israel as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Israel news, video, and analysis from ABC News.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement Thursday that the congresswomen's itinerary showed "their intent is to hurt Israel" and that he backed a decision by Israel's interior minister to block their entry.
Netanyahu joined several Israeli ministers in deciding to bar them based on an Israeli law that allows authorities to deny entry to people who have backed the "boycott, sanctions and divestment" (BDS) movement against Israel, the country's foreign ministry said in a statement. "The decision was made after [Israel's Interior] Minister [Aryeh] Deri realized boycott activities were planned against Israel and that they should be prevented from entering Israel, in accordance with the provisions of the Israeli Entry Law," the ministry said.
On Twitter, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is "open to any critic and criticism, with one exception: Israel's law prohibits the entry of people who call and operate to boycott Israel."
ראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו:
— ראש ממשלת ישראל (@IsraeliPM_heb) August 15, 2019
"אין מדינה בעולם שמכבדת את ארה"ב ואת הקונגרס האמריקני יותר ממדינת ישראל.
כדמוקרטיה תוססת וחופשית, ישראל פתוחה לכל מבקר ולכל ביקורת, עם יוצא מן הכלל אחד: החוק בישראל אוסר על כניסת אנשים הקוראים והפועלים להטלת חרם על ישראל
Earlier, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely had told Israel's Reshet Radio: "The decision has been made, the decision is not to allow them to enter."
Tlaib and Omar, the first Muslim women elected to Congress, have drawn the ire of the president for their positions on Israel and their criticism of Trump and his administration's policies. They planned to visit Jerusalem and the West Bank over the weekend as guests of Miftah, a nonprofit Palestinian group that seeks a "sovereign, independent, democratic, tolerant and inclusive Palestinian state, which grants Palestinians their basic rights, preserves their dignity, and enjoys international recognition and respect." The two congresswomen have supported the BDS movement.
In response to the decision, Trump tweeted that the two congresswomen are the face of the Democratic Party and that they hate Israel.
Thursday morning, Trump tweeted, "It would show great weakness if Israel allowed Rep. Omar and Rep. Tlaib to visit. They hate Israel & all Jewish people, & there is nothing that can be said or done to change their minds. Minnesota and Michigan will have a hard time putting them back in office. They are a disgrace!"
It would show great weakness if Israel allowed Rep. Omar and Rep.Tlaib to visit. They hate Israel & all Jewish people, & there is nothing that can be said or done to change their minds. Minnesota and Michigan will have a hard time putting them back in office. They are a disgrace!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 15, 2019
Several reports from the U.S. and Israel indicated the Israeli government was considering whether to block the two congresswomen from entering Israel on the grounds that they had backed the BDS movement.