Israel has detained two British Members of Parliament and denied them entry while they were visiting as part of a parliamentary delegation, UK Foreign Minister David Lammy announced in a statement late on Saturday.
According to Sky News, Israel’s immigration ministry stated that Labour MPs Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed were refused entry due to suspicions that they intended to “document the activities of security forces and spread anti-Israel hatred.”
Yang, who represents Earley and Woodley, and Mohamed, the MP for Sheffield Central, had traveled to Israel from Luton on Saturday, Sky News reported.
Lammy strongly criticized the decision, stating, “I have made it clear to my Israeli counterparts that this is not how British Parliamentarians should be treated. We have been in contact with both MPs tonight to offer our support.”
He also reaffirmed the UK government’s broader priorities, emphasizing, “Our focus remains on securing a return to the ceasefire, advancing negotiations to end the bloodshed, ensuring the release of hostages, and working toward ending the conflict in Gaza.”
