Democrat rejects Israel’s terms for West Bank visit
RASHIDA TLAIB, the Democrat congresswoman, said yesterday she was rejecting an offer from Israel to visit her Palestinian family because it came with “oppressive conditions” that she must not discuss boycotts against Israel.
After Israel barred her and another Muslim congresswoman from entering the country on an official visit, Ms Tlaib asked to be allowed in on a humanitarian visit to see her 90-year-old grandmother in the occupied West Bank.
In her letter, she promised to “respect any restrictions” and said she would “not promote boycotts against Israel during my visit”. The Israeli government granted her permission to enter on those grounds.
But yesterday, Ms Tlaib reversed her decision. “I have decided that visiting my grandmother under these oppressive conditions stands against everything I believe in – fighting against racism, oppression and injustice,” she said.
She added that she would not allow her love for her grandmother to be used as leverage to make her submit to Israel’s “oppressive and racist policies”.
Ariye Deri, the Israeli interior minister, said Ms Tlaib’s decision was proof that “her hatred for Israel overcomes her love for her grandmother”.
Her decision means she may never see her elderly relative again but is free to continue her vocal criticism of Israel.
Many Palestinian families are never given the choice offered to Ms Tlaib. Israeli policy leaves them separated between Gaza and the West Bank and unable to travel to see sick loved ones or even to attend their funerals.
The announcement was the latest twist in a saga that saw Israel initially agree to allow Ms Tlaib and her colleague Ilhan Omar to visit despite their support for boycotts against Israel.
However, the Israeli government changed course under pressure from Donald Trump, who has repeatedly targeted the two Muslim congresswomen.
“Representatives Omar and Tlaib are the face of the Democrat Party, and they HATE Israel!” he wrote on Twitter late on Thursday.
The decision by Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, to bar the women drew criticism from his traditional allies in Washington, including pro-israel groups and Republican members of Congress.
Marco Rubio, a staunchly pro-israel Republican senator, called the move “a mistake”.
Steny Hoyer, a senior Democrat who is close to Mr Netanyahu, called the decision “outrageous” and said Israel had not lived up to assurances given by its ambassador in Washington that the congresswomen would be allowed in.