Israel Will Allow Controversial US Congresswomen Omar, Tlaib to Visit Country, Ambassador Says
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by Algemeiner Staff
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) shares a fist bump with Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) in Washington, DC, April 10, 2019. Photo: Reuters / Jim Bourg.
Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer said on Friday that his country would permit controversial Democratic Congresswomen Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan to visit.
“Out of respect for the US Congress and the great alliance between Israel and America, we would not deny entry to any member of Congress into Israel,” Dermer said.
Omar and Tlaib — two of the four minority legislators who have been the target of President Donald Trump’s ire in recent days — plan to travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories in the coming weeks.
Both back the anti-Israel BDS movement and have made comments widely condemned as being antisemitic.
Israeli law allows the denial of entry to BDS supporters under certain circumstances.
According to Haaretz, a decision to bar Omar and Tlaib would have required the approval of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, due to the sensitivity of the situation.
