Israel has decided — we won’t enable the members of Congress to enter the country,” Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely said. “We won’t allow those who deny our right to exist in this world to enter Israel. In principle, this is a very justified decision.”
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained the decision at length on Twitter, saying the “sole purpose” of the congresswomen’s trip is “to harm Israel and increase incitement against it.”
“Israeli law prohibits the entry into Israel of those who call for and work to impose boycotts on Israel,” Netanyahu said. “Congresswomen Tlaib and Omar are leading activists in promoting the legislation of boycotts against Israel in the American Congress.”
In July, Omar and Tlaib voted with 15 other members of Congress against a resolution that condemned the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement that seeks to punish Israel’s economy. Omar also introduced her own resolution promoting the BDS movement.
