THE BAR OF DAVID
Israel bans US Reps. Omar, Tialb
Israel on Thursday barred firebrand freshmen Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib from entering the Jewish state, citing their support for a Palestinianled boycott movement — a decision supported by President Trump but condemned by others, including the pro-Israel lobby.
“The decision has been made, the decision is not to allow them to enter,” Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely told Israel’s Reshet Bet Radio.
Shortly before the announcement, Trump urged Israel to ban the lawmakers — the first two Muslim women elected to Congress and two of Israel’s harshest critics.
“It would show great weakness if Israel allowed Rep. Omar and Rep. Tlaib to visit. They hate Israel & all Jewish people, & there is nothing that can be said or done to change their minds,” Trump tweeted.
“Representatives Omar and Tlaib are the face of the Democrat Party, and they HATE Israel!” he added.
Trump doubled down on his criticism while speaking to reporters in New Hampshire ahead of a campaign rally.
“I think it would be a terrible thing for Israel to let these two people who speak so badly about Israel come in,” he said.
And Israeli’s former ambassador to the US said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was right to act on Trump’s “recommendation.”
“Israel, like every sovereign country, has the right to decide who can enter and who cannot enter, who must stay and who must leave. The US administration recommended accordingly, and the Israeli government rightfully decided to accept that recommendation,” Danny Ayalon said.
The two lawmakers — who along with Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY) and Ayanna Pressley (Mass.) are known as “The Squad” — back the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, which calls for economic pressure on Israel over the plight of the Palestinians.
Netanyahu called Israel a “vibrant and free democracy” that was open to criticism of its policies, but “with one exception.”
“Israel’s law prohibits the entry of people who call and operate to boycott Israel, as is the case with other democracies that prevent the entry of people whose perception harms the country,” he said, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Omar, of Minnesota, and Michigan’s Tlaib — who a reporter noticed had a map of the Middle East in her congressional office just after being sworn in bearing a Post-It note with the word “Palestine” and an arrow pointing to Israel — planned to tour the flashpoint site of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City, as well as the West Bank.
“Trump’s Muslim ban is what Israel is implementing, this time against two duly elected Members of Congress,” Omar said in a statement. “Denying entry into Israel not only limits our ability to learn from Israelis, but also to enter the Palestinian territories.”
Lawmakers, Ocasio-Cortez added on Twitter, “are frequently asked to visit Israel to ‘see things for ourselves.’ But Netanyahu choosing to ban the only 2 Muslim women in Congress from entering tells the US that only *some* Americans are welcome to Israel, not all. Trump is exporting his bigotry & making matters worse.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi slammed both Israel and Trump.
“Israel’s denial of entry to Congresswomen Tlaib & Omar is beneath the dignity of the great State of #Israel. @realDonaldTrump‘s statements about the Congresswomen are a sign of ignorance & disrespect, & beneath the dignity of the Office of the President,” she tweeted.
Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio also weighed in, calling the ban a “mistake.”
Meanwhile, the American Jewish Congress told The Post in a statement that it supported Israel’s decision and opposed the pair’s rhetoric, which critics called anti-Semitic.
But AIPAC, the powerful proIsrael lobby, criticized the move despite the duo’s tough talk.
“We disagree with Reps. Omar and Tlaib’s support for the anti-Israel and anti-peace BDS movement, along with Rep. Tlaib’s calls for a one-state solution. We also believe every member of Congress should be able to visit and experience our democratic ally Israel firsthand,” AIPAC said on Twitter.
A few Democratic presidential hopefuls, including Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, also raised objections.
Later, the Times of Israel suggested that one or both of the congresswomen may still seek to enter Palestinian territory despite their ban by Israel, but details were unclear.