Two members of the United Kingdom’s ruling Labour Party were barred from entering Israel and subsequently deported on Saturday, igniting a sharp diplomatic exchange between London and Tel Aviv. Labour MPs Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed were refused entry at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport after arriving on a flight from London Luton Airport.
According to a statement from Israel’s immigration ministry, the lawmakers were denied entry due to suspicions that they intended to “document the activities of security forces and spread anti-Israel hatred.” The ministry accused the pair of misrepresenting the purpose of their visit, saying the MPs had falsely claimed to be part of an official parliamentary delegation.
UK Foreign Secretary Condemns Israel’s Actions
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy issued a swift and forceful response, calling the treatment of the two lawmakers “unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning.” In a statement issued late Saturday, Lammy rejected Israel’s claim that the MPs had misrepresented themselves, reaffirming that Yang and Mohamed were traveling as part of an official parliamentary mission.
“I have made clear to my counterparts in the Israeli government that this is no way to treat British Parliamentarians,” Lammy said. “We have been in contact with both MPs tonight to offer our support.”
Lammy emphasized the UK’s continued diplomatic focus on halting hostilities in Gaza, stating that “the UK government’s focus remains securing a return to the ceasefire and negotiations to stop the bloodshed, free the hostages, and end the conflict.”
Though neither MP has yet commented publicly on their deportation, Abtisam Mohamed has previously drawn criticism in Israel for remarks made in January during a session of the UK Parliament. At the time, she accused Israel of engaging in “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza and urged the UK government to declare any future Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip as “illegal.”
Israel has consistently denied accusations of ethnic cleansing and maintains that its military actions in Gaza are in self-defense against Hamas and other militant factions. However, the global community remains sharply divided over Israel’s actions, especially in Palestinian territories occupied since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. The United Nations and several human rights groups have voiced concern over civilian casualties and displacement in Gaza, while UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly cautioned against what he called “forced displacement” and “ethnic cleansing.”
The incident has inflamed tensions between two longstanding allies and raised broader questions about Israel’s treatment of foreign officials critical of its policies. While Israel maintains the right to control its borders and refuse entry to individuals it deems hostile, the deportation of sitting British MPs is a rare and highly controversial move.
The Israeli government’s decision to publicize the allegations that the MPs intended to “spread anti-Israel hatred” has only deepened concerns among British lawmakers and international observers. Critics argue that the deportations reflect an increasingly intolerant approach to dissent, particularly amid growing international scrutiny of Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
British political analysts suggest that the incident could have ripple effects on UK-Israel relations, especially given Labour’s growing internal debate over the party’s stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict.
For now, both MPs have returned to the UK, and the Foreign Office continues to seek clarification and assurances from the Israeli government about the reasoning and handling of the deportation.
As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens and political divisions sharpen across the globe, incidents like these may continue to test the resilience of long-established diplomatic alliances.
