The Irish Times: Two US congresswomen denied entry to Israel after Trump plea

By Suzanne Lynch

Last month, Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer said the two congresswomen would be allowed to visit Israel “out of respect for the US Congress and the great alliance between Israel and America.”

However, this week there were signs from Tel Aviv that the decision was being reviewed by Mr Netanyahu.

As recently as last weekend, House majority leader Steny Hoyer led a 40-strong delegation to Israel organised by the pro-Israel group AIPAC, and urged the Israeli government not to ban his colleagues.

Ms Tlaib, a congresswoman who represents an area of Detroit, Michigan, had planned to stay on to visit her grandmother in the West Bank.

Earlier a US Jewish group, the Jewish Democratic Council of America, urged the Netanhayu government not to enact the ban, arguing that it “plays into President Trump’s goal of politicising support for Israel.”

“As strong supporters of Israel and of the US-Israel relationship, we urge the government of Israel to reject President Trump’s unprecedented and ill-advised recommendation to deny Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib entry into Israel,” the organisation said in a statement.

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