'Israel' bans entry of two Labour MPs on West Bank parliamentary visit

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
17 Sep 2025 18:23
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The parliamentary delegation's visit to the occupied West Bank aims to assess healthcare and humanitarian projects with Medical Aid for Palestinians

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An undated photo of Medical Aid for Palestinians workers packaging medical supplies (MAP)

Two Labour MPs travelling to the occupied West Bank as part of a UK parliamentary delegation were denied entry to "Israel".

Peter Prinsley and Simon Opher, both doctors with extensive experience in healthcare, were travelling with the Council for Arab-British Understanding to observe humanitarian and medical work carried out by several organizations, including Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP).

In a joint statement, the MPs said, “It is deeply regrettable that Israeli authorities prevented them from seeing first-hand the grave challenges facing medical facilities in the region and from hearing the British government’s assessment of the situation on the ground.”

The delegation had also planned to meet with British diplomats in occupied al-Quds, along with Palestinian and other human rights organizations.

A joint statement from Dr Peter Prinsley MP and Dr Simon Opher MP: pic.twitter.com/y0Q7xYQf2F
— Dr Peter Prinsley MP (@PeterPrinsley) September 16, 2025

British government condemns 'unacceptable' decision

Foreign Office Minister Hamish Falconer described the move as “unacceptable”. In a statement on X, he said: “I have remained in contact with both colleagues throughout and I have been clear with the Israeli authorities that this is no way to treat British parliamentarians.”

Unacceptable that two more British MPs have been denied entry to the Occupied Palestinian Territories by Israel.

I have remained in contact with both colleagues throughout and I have been clear with the Israeli authorities that this is no way to treat British parliamentarians.
— Hamish Falconer MP (@HFalconerMP) September 16, 2025

Opher, MP for Stroud and chair of an all-party parliamentary group on health, told the BBC that he and Prinsley were held in a passport office, issued a legal order to leave, and escorted back to Jordan.

“It’s very disappointing. We are both doctors and we were really just going to look at healthcare facilities in the West Bank to see if there was anything we could do to support them,” Opher explained to the British broadcaster. He added that they were denied entry on “public order” grounds.

This is not the first time Labour Party members have been refused entry. In April, Labour MPs Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang were detained and barred from entering the West Bank. Their trip, also organized with charity partners, aimed to visit humanitarian aid projects and meet Palestinian communities.

The MPs at the time said they were “astounded” by the decision, emphasizing that it is “vital” for parliamentarians to witness the situation in Palestine first-hand.

Growing concern over access for international observers

Rights groups have raised growing concern over "Israel’s" restrictions on international delegations seeking to observe conditions in the occupied territories.

Denials of entry not only obstruct oversight of humanitarian conditions but also undermine efforts by organizations like Medical Aid for Palestinians that depend on international support.

For Opher and Prinsley, the experience highlighted how political barriers are obstructing essential humanitarian work. “We weren’t in any way trying to undermine the Israelis, just trying to see what we could do in the West Bank,” Opher said.