UK Labour and Conservatives clash over 'Israel’s' deportation of MPs
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Labour and Conservatives clash over "Israel’s" deportation of MPs Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed, who were visiting the West Bank with Medical Aid for Palestinians.
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Labour MPs Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yuang are shown in this combination of undated photos. (AP)
Labour and Conservatives have clashed over "Israel’s" decision to expel two Labour MPs, Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed, who were part of a parliamentary delegation visiting humanitarian projects in the West Bank. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy criticized "Israel’s" move and said he had raised the issue with the Israeli government.
The parliamentary delegation, including Yang and Mohamed, was organized with assistance from the charity, Medical Aid for Palestinians, and intended to assess humanitarian aid projects and local communities. Medical Aid for Palestinians said the two were questioned upon arrival at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport before being denied entry and deported.
Mohamed and Yang said, "It is vital that parliamentarians are able to witness firsthand the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory," adding that they had planned to visit humanitarian aid projects and local communities.
Israeli authorities accused Mohamed and Yang of having called for boycotts of "Israel", prohibited under Israeli law, and said they were not visiting as part of an official delegation. "Israel" has a history of deporting Human Rights Lawyers, Aid Workers, Parliamentarians and Palestinian Civilians. Last December 2022, "Israel" detained French-Palestinian Human Rights Lawyer, Salah Harouri. UN experts warned that "Israel’s" decision to deport Hamouri to France against his will may constitute a war crime under the Geneva Convention.
Badenoch defends 'Israel'
In response, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch defended "Israel", stating that every country has the right to control its borders. She suggested that the MPs were attempting to do something they were not authorized to do, and she respected "Israel's" decision.
Lammy fired back on social media, accusing Badenoch of supporting the detention and deportation of British MPs, and questioned whether she would have the same stance on Tory MPs banned from China. He reiterated that the government would always defend the rights of MPs to speak freely, regardless of their party.
Lammy was particularly vocal last year with regards to "Israel's" freeze on VISA renewals of international aid workers.
Since the genocide started, "Israel" has implemented stringent measures affecting international aid workers in the Palestinian territories.
Early last year, the Israeli Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs ceased issuing recommendation letters necessary for visa renewals granted in 2023, leading to at least 99 humanitarian workers facing expired visas or impending expirations by autumn of 2024.
At the time, Lammy raised the matter in parliament, urging the UK government to exert pressure on "Israel" for corrective action. “Humanitarian visas must be renewed now,” he said. “With no humanitarian visa renewals since the outbreak of this war, [Israel is] leaving humanitarian workers facing deportation when the Palestinian people need them most.”
The 2024 visa crackdown also affected UN aid workers, limiting their access to "Israel" and Gaza to short-term stays. Most international staff, including those in Gaza, had been restricted to one or two-month visas, according to Philippe Lazzarini, the chief of UNRWA.
Labour MP Emily Thornberry, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed disbelief at Badenoch’s comments, urging her to stand up for what is right and support the MPs who were merely trying to understand the situation in the region. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey also criticized Badenoch for poor judgment, while Badenoch responded by distinguishing "Israel" as an ally and democracy, unlike China, and suggesting that Labour MPs should focus on UK national interests instead of pushing other political agendas.
