Jerusalem: Israel on Friday granted permission to US Democrat Congress member Rashida Tlaib to enter the country on humanitarian grounds to visit her grandmother in West Bank, a day after blocking her and fellow lawmaker Ilhan Omar from the visit.
The Israeli government on Thursday barred Tlaib and Omar from entering the country over their support for an initiative to boycott Israel. US President Donald Trump tweeted it would show “great weakness” if the pair were allowed entry.
Both women were due to visit the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem next week, reports say.
Omar described Israel’s move as “an insult to democratic values and a chilling response to a visit by government officials from an allied nation”.
Tlaib, however, sent a letter addressed to Israel’s Interior Minister Aryeh Deri in which she sought a humanitarian permit to enter the country and promised to respect any restrictions imposed by authorities, Efe news reported. (IANS)
