Notorious anti-Semitic and anti-Israel representatives, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, are planning a protest visit to Israel this weekend.
But they might not be allowed in the country.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning an announcement for later today that could signal that Israel will deny entrance to the two freshmen lawmakers.
Natanyahu has reportedly already discussed the matter with his cabinet.
From The Wall Street Journal:
Israel is considering denying entry to Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, government officials said, as their planned visit to Jerusalem and the West Bank generated controversy over their criticism of Israeli policy toward Palestinians.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu consulted with several cabinet officials on Wednesday to reach a final decision on the visit. The freshman Democrats were supposed to arrive this weekend and had planned visits to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Hebron and Ramallah.
Israeli officials said they would release more information later Thursday.
“There is a possibility that Israel will not allow the visit in its current proposed format,” an Israeli official said.
Blocking the liberal congresswomen would likely prompt a fierce backlash from Democrats and some Jewish groups. President Trump has frequently attacked the lawmakers, in part over their views on Israel, for which he said they should apologize.
Israel could block them under legislation that denies entry to people who support the boycott movement against Israel. …
The two women are well known for their anti-Semitic rhetoric and anti-Israel political stances while in Congress.
The two are currently planning a protest visit to Israel to highlight a boycott movement against the country.
The Washington Post has more:
Speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, the official said that if Tlaib, an American of Palestinian heritage, made a special humanitarian request to visit her family in the occupied West Bank, then “it would be considered favorably.”
Omar and Tlaib, who have both been outspoken critics of Israel and support a boycott movement against the country, are slated to arrive Sunday. Their trip is being planned by Miftah, a nonprofit organization headed by Palestinian lawmaker and longtime peace negotiator Hanan Ashrawi. …
Denying entry to Omar and Tlaib would likely deepen the divide between the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Democrats, who have privately said that such a move would be inconsistent with Israel’s reputation as a country that prides itself on being a democracy tolerant of political expression.
Informed Wednesday that Israel would formally deny entry to Omar and Tlaib, Democrats in Congress quietly braced for a new public fight with the long-serving Israeli leader, said several congressional aides familiar with the discussions.
It is still unclear whether Netanyahu will follow through on that decision…
This is a developing story.
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