Two British parliament members allege that they were barred from accessing Israel to carry out a trip to the West Bank.
Two British Labour MPs, Simon Opher and Peter Prinsley, were blocked from entering Israel as part of a parliamentary delegation to the occupied West Bank. The decision, which has been met with criticism, came as the MPs had planned to visit humanitarian aid projects and communities in the West Bank with UK charity partners who have over a decade of experience in taking parliamentary delegations.
The UK Home Office is responsible for the decision to deny entry to the two MPs for their planned parliamentary trip. The Israeli Immigration Ministry claimed that Simon Opher and Peter Prinsley were suspected of intending to "document the activities of security forces and spread anti-Israel hatred."
This incident follows similar incidents earlier this year, where Labour MPs Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed were denied entry into Israel and deported back to the UK. The MPs had spoken out in parliament on the Israel-Palestine conflict and the importance of complying with international humanitarian law.
David Lammy, then-Foreign Secretary, criticized the decision, saying it was "unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning" that the two British MPs were detained and refused entry. Yuan Yang and Mohamed, in a joint statement, expressed their astoundment at being refused entry to the occupied West Bank. They stated that it was vital for parliamentarians to witness the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory firsthand.
The visit was organized by the Council for Arab-British Understanding and was due to meet UK diplomats in Jerusalem, as well as Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations. The purpose of the trip was to enable members of parliament to witness the vital medical and humanitarian work of organizations including Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) in the occupied West Bank.
The controversy comes as the Israeli regime pushes ahead with a major ground offensive in Gaza City, which has drawn sharp international criticism. Peter Prinsley, a surgeon with three decades' experience in the NHS, had also planned to take part in the delegation. Simon Opher, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Health and was previously a full-time doctor, has since returned to the UK from Jordan.
The incident has sparked a debate about the freedom of parliamentarians to speak truthfully in the House of Commons without fear of being targeted. The MPs have reiterated their commitment to promoting peace and humanitarian aid in the region and have called for a more open and transparent approach from the Israeli authorities.
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