Following an entry ban on US MEPs Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, Israel is allowing Tlaib to visit her family in the occupied West Bank. Interior Minister Arie Deri has Tlaib the entry for a „humanitarian visit to her 90-year-old grandmother approved,“ said today in a statement by the Ministry.
Tlaib was born as the daughter of Palestinian immigrants in Detroit. According to Tlaib’s information, her grandmother lives in Beit Ur al-Fauka, a village west of Ramallah. Since 3 January Tlaib sits for the Democratic Party in the US House of Representatives.
Israel announced yesterday that it was refusing Tlaib and Omar entry. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu justified this by saying that the two Democratic Democrats in the US Congress were calling for laws to boycott Israel. With their visit they wanted to do „damage to Israel,“ he said.
Visit under conditions
Tlaib then applied for a family visit. This may be the last chance to visit her grandmother, she wrote to Deri. „I will respect any restrictions and will not promote boycotts of Israel during my visit.“ The Ministry of Interior’s message stated that Deri hoped that Tlaib would keep its promise and that the visit would „really only be humanitarian.“
