Two UK MPs
LONDON: Britain’s Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, has strongly condemned Israel’s decision to detain two British lawmakers, describing it as “unacceptable.”
The two MPs, Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed, from the Labour Party, were traveling to Israel from the UK but were blocked from entering the country upon arrival and were subsequently deported.
The MPs were part of a parliamentary delegation, which they claim was official, but Israel rejected this, saying there was no record of such a visit being organized by any official body in the country.
In a statement, Lammy expressed his concern, emphasizing that it was not only unacceptable but also counterproductive and deeply worrying that British parliamentarians had been treated in this manner by Israeli authorities.
He made it clear to his Israeli counterparts that this behavior was not appropriate and conveyed the UK government’s support to both MPs.
Both MPs, in a joint statement, expressed their astonishment at what they described as an unprecedented move by Israel. They were particularly shocked by the detention and deportation, given that they had been invited by the Israeli government to engage in a diplomatic mission.
However, Israeli officials contradicted their claims, asserting that the MPs had been attempting to document the actions of Israeli security forces and spread “hate speech” against Israel, prompting their detention.
This incident has led to a political dispute in the UK, particularly between Lammy and Conservative opposition leader, Kemi Badenoch.
Badenoch voiced concerns over the rhetoric of Labour MPs regarding Israel, suggesting that the detentions were not surprising given the views expressed by some within the Labour Party. Lammy hit back on social media, accusing Badenoch of “cheerleading” another country for detaining British MPs.
The ongoing tensions come amid a volatile and tragic conflict between Israel and Hamas. Following the breakdown of a brief ceasefire in Gaza, Israel has escalated military operations in the region, seeking to force Hamas militants to free hostages still in captivity.
Meanwhile, the death toll in Gaza continues to rise sharply, with over 50,000 people killed since the conflict began in October 2023. The Israeli Health Ministry reported 1,249 deaths since the resumption of intense bombing in the region last month.
This diplomatic row between the UK and Israel adds another layer of complexity to the already heated situation surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the broader international response to the ongoing war in Gaza.
