Tory leader Kemi Badenoch sparked a backlash today after she supported Israel‘s right to refuse entry to two Labour MPs.
Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed were detained and then deported after travelling to Israel this weekend.
Israeli officials claimed the pair were rejected because of their plans to ‘document the activities of security forces and spread anti-Israel hatred’.
Ms Yang and Ms Mohamed said they were part of a parliamentary delegation and planned to visit charity projects and communities in the West Bank.
They added they were ‘astounded’ by their treatment – while Foreign Secretary David Lammy blasted the ‘unacceptable’ action by Israeli authorities.
But Mrs Badenoch supported Israel’s right to ‘control their borders’ as she declined to express the same anger as Government ministers.
‘What I think is shocking is that we have MPs in Labour who other countries will not allow through – I think that’s very significant,’ she said.
Mr Lammy branded the Tory leader ‘disgraceful’ for ‘cheerleading another country for detaining and deporting two British MPs’.
Senior Labour MP Emily Thornberry, the chair of the House of Commons’ Foreign Affairs Committee, said she was ‘outraged’ by the Conservative leader’s stance.
And Mrs Badenoch even appeared to be contradicted by one of her own Tory frontbenchers.
Conservative MP Richard Fuller, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said MPs on an official trip should be ‘welcomed in any country’.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch stirred up a row today after she backed Israel’s right to refuse entry to two Labour MPs
Yuan Yang (right) and Abtisam Mohamed (left) were detained and then deported after travelling to Israel this weekend
Foreign Secretary David Lammy branded Mrs Badenoch ‘disgraceful’ for ‘cheerleading another country for detaining and deporting two British MPs’
Senior Labour MP Emily Thornberry, the chair of the House of Commons’ Foreign Affairs Committee, said she was ‘outraged’ by the Conservative leader’s stance
Ms Yang, MP for Earley and Woodley, and Ms Mohamed, MP for Sheffield Central, flew to Israel from Luton Airport with two aides on Saturday afternoon.
Israeli officials said all four passengers were denied entry after being questioned and the MPs left the country at 6am local time (4am BST) on Sunday.
The MPs have been sent messages of support by a number of other parliamentarians, who have joined widespread criticism of Israel’s actions.
But, asked if Israel was entitled to deport them, Mrs Badenoch told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show: ‘Countries should be able to control their borders.
‘What I think is shocking is that we have MPs in Labour who other countries will not allow through – I think that’s very significant.’
She added: ‘If you look at the reasons the Israeli government has given for why they’re not letting them in – they don’t believe they’re going to comply with their laws.
‘MPs do not have diplomatic immunity. I believe the people who represent us in Parliament should be people who should be able to go anywhere in the world.
‘And people not be worried about what they’re going to do when they go into those countries.’
Asked if she thought Israel was right to worry about the Labour MPs breaking the law if they were granted entry, the Tory leader replied: ‘That’s the reason they gave.
‘And what I believe is that every country should be able to control its borders. We do the same thing.
‘There are many people we don’t allow into our country and I don’t think we should be setting precedents in a different way.’
In an earlier interview on Sky News, Mrs Badenoch had said she was ‘not surprised’ that two Labour MPs were denied entry to Israel.
‘Those Labour MPs, according to the Israelis, were coming in to do something that they were not allowed to do, and so I respect that decision,’ she added.
Responding to Mrs Badenoch’s comments, Mr Lammy told the Tory leader in a post on X: ‘It’s disgraceful you are cheerleading another country for detaining and deporting two British MPs.
‘Do you say the same about Tory MPs banned from China? This Government will continue to stand up for the rights of our MPs to speak their mind, whatever their party.’
Ms Thornberry also hit back at the Tory leader’s comments, telling the BBC: ‘I am outraged and I cannot believe the Leader of the Opposition would simply take on the face of it what it is that the Israelis say.
‘Because we know that there are times when what the Israelis say first time isn’t what they say when they’ve had a chance to think about it.’
She added: ‘I know Abtisam Mohamed and I know Yuan Yang very well.
‘These are two young women who are potential leaders – people listen to what they say, they are highly-respected parliamentarians.
‘Israel is badly-advised to try to alienate them, to humiliate them and to treat them in this way.
‘Because people listen to what these two young women say and they will do for decades to come.
‘In my view, Israel really needs to start making friends as opposed to alienating people in this way. I think it’s an insult to Britain and I think it’s an insult to Parliament.’
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey accused the Tory leader of ‘unbelievably poor judgement by failing to back two British MPs denied entry to Israel’, adding: ‘Yet another complete shocker.’
Mr Fuller, a member of Mrs Badenoch’s top team, told Times Radio he was unaware of the details of the Labour MPs’ trip to Israel.
But he added: ‘Any MP who goes on an official trip should be, I would think, welcomed in any country.
‘They’re going there to be better informed about the situation and then report back to their parliamentary colleagues about what they have found.’
In a statement late on Saturday night, Mr Lammy said: ‘It is unacceptable, counterproductive and deeply concerning that two British MPs on a parliamentary delegation to Israel have been detained and refused entry by the Israeli authorities.
‘I have made clear to my counterparts in the Israeli government that this is no way to treat British parliamentarians, and we have been in contact with both MPs tonight to offer our support.’
The Foriegn Secretary added the Government’s focus ‘remains securing a return to the ceasefire and negotiations to stop the bloodshed, free the hostages and end the conflict in Gaza’.
In a joint statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday morning, Ms Yang and Ms Mohamed said: ‘We’re astounded at the unprecedented step taken by the Israeli authorities to refuse British MPs entry on our trip to visit the occupied West Bank.
‘It is vital that parliamentarians are able to witness first-hand the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory.
‘We are two, out of scores of MPs, who have spoken out in Parliament in recent months on the Israel-Palestine conflict and the importance of complying with international humanitarian law.
‘Parliamentarians should feel free to speak truthfully in the House of Commons without fear of being targeted.
‘We had come on an MPs’ delegation to visit humanitarian aid projects and communities in the West Bank, with UK charity partners who have over a decade of experience in taking parliamentary delegations.
‘We thank them, the staff at the British embassy in Tel Aviv, the British Consulate in Jerusalem, the Middle East minister and the Foreign Secretary for their tireless support.’
Israel’s UK embassy said: ‘Israel will not permit the entry of individuals who act against the state and its citizens, promote calls for its boycott, falsely accuse it or call for sanctions against its ministers and public officials.
‘Today, in accordance with the law, two members of Parliament were denied entry to the State of Israel after accusing Israel of false claims, calling for a boycott, spreading lies and actively promoting sanctions against Israeli ministers while supporting campaigns aimed at boycotting the State of Israel.
‘The visit was intended to provoke, harm Israeli citizens and spread falsehoods about them. It is Israel’s responsibility to prevent the entry of such individuals (just as is the practice in the UK).’
Both Ms Yang and Ms Mohamed were elected to Parliament last July.
