Foreign Secretary David Lammy has condemned the Israeli authorities for barring two Labour MPs from entering the country and detaining them, calling the decision "unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning." He confirmed that the Foreign Office has been in contact with the MPs to provide assistance.
According to a statement from Israel's immigration authority, Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang were denied entry on the grounds that they planned to "spread hate speech" against Israel and its people.
Lammy stated, “I have conveyed to my counterparts in the Israeli government that this is an inappropriate way to treat members of the British Parliament.”
The two MPs—Yang, representing Earley and Woodley, and Mohamed, MP for Sheffield Central—had flown from London Luton Airport to Israel on Saturday afternoon along with two aides.
Israel’s immigration authority said that Interior Minister Moshe Arbel had rejected entry for all four individuals following questioning. It further alleged that their purpose was to "document the security forces."
While the UK Foreign Office identified the group as part of a parliamentary delegation, Israeli officials refuted this, claiming the visit had not been coordinated with or approved by any Israeli authority.
A spokesperson for Israel’s Interior Ministry confirmed that the MPs had departed the country by 06:00 local time (04:00 BST) on Sunday.
In a statement, Lammy emphasized that the UK government remains focused on achieving a ceasefire, restarting negotiations to end the bloodshed, secure the release of hostages, and resolve the conflict in Gaza.
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