Israel's government decided to bar two Democratic congresswomen from entering the country on Thursday, in an unprecedented move that is likely to reverberate through the halls of the US Congress.

Rashida Tlaib, who is of Palestinian origin and has family in the West Bank, and Ilhan Omar were expected to arrive at the weekend for a visit to Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories.

The left-leaning Muslim congresswomen are outspoken critics of Israel's policy toward the Palestinians and support the so-called BDS movement, which advocates boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel. They are also sharp critics of US President Donald Trump, a close ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"As a vibrant and free democracy, Israel is open to any critic and criticism, with one exception," Netanyahu said in a statement. "Israel's law prohibits the entry of people who call and act to boycott Israel, as is the case with other democracies that prevent the entry of people whom they see as harming the country."



In 2017, Israel passed a law banning entry of activists including Jewish supporters of the BDS movement, arguing it is anti-Semitic and a threat to the country's existence. Last month, Israel's ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer said Israel would allow the lawmakers to enter "out of respect for the US Congress and the great alliance between Israel and America."

Supporters of BDS argue it is a non-violent movement similar to the anti-Apartheid struggle in South Africa in response to Israel's military occupation of the West Bank and illegal settlement building.

The squad: These are the women Trump wants to send back The squad Often referred to as "the squad" — both by themselves and the media — the first-term Democrats in the US House of Representatives are united in their progressive views. Although they come from different ethnic and religious backgrounds, they all stand for more diversity in US politics. And this has put them at odds with Donald Trump.

The squad: These are the women Trump wants to send back Solidarity among congresswomen It was actually Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who first used the slang term "squad" on an Instagram post to refer to herself, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar shortly after they were elected in 2018. The moniker, which means a group of people with a common sense of identity, has stuck with them ever since. In recent weeks it's been used derisively by those who try to belittle the women.

The squad: These are the women Trump wants to send back Women in white The squad are just four of the 102 women elected in 2018 to serve in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Congress. Never before have so many women been elected to this highest level of office. During the 2019 State of the Union address, Ocasio-Cortez and her colleagues dressed in white to draw attention to the increased role women intend to play in the US legislature.

The squad: These are the women Trump wants to send back For a more equitable world As women of color, the four representatives are conscious of the role they play in US politics. Ayanna Pressley, Massachusett's first black congresswoman, summed up their position in a response to Trump's attacks: "We ran on a mandate to advocate for and to represent those ignored, left out, and left behind ... Our squad includes any person committed to creating a more equitable and just world."

The squad: These are the women Trump wants to send back The spokeswoman The youngest woman ever to enter Congress has taken Washington by storm. At just 29, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez exudes an energy that appeals to younger voters while attracting national media attention. Her extensive social media presence has made her the unofficial spokeswoman for the squad, as well as helping her boost awareness for policies such as her Green New Deal and immigration reform.

The squad: These are the women Trump wants to send back Standing up to Trump When the US president tweeted that the four congresswomen should "go back to the … places from which they came," no one was more targeted than Ilhan Omar. The Somalia-born politician came to the US as a refugee before becoming a US citizen. She has denounced Trump for launching "a blatantly racist attack" and vowed not to be deterred or frightened.

The squad: These are the women Trump wants to send back The president's nightmare On the eve of her swearing-in as one of the first two Muslim congresswomen, Omar reflected on how far she has come since arriving 23 years ago from a refugee camp in Kenya. She has said Trump's "nightmare is seeing an immigrant rise to Congress." For Omar, the confrontation with the president is about "what this country truly should be."

The squad: These are the women Trump wants to send back Fighting the bully Rashida Tlaib is the second of two Muslim women in Congress. Born in the US to Palestinian parents, Tlaib has come under attack for her outspoken criticism of Israel, both from Republicans and Democrats. She refers to the president as a bully and has repeatedly called for his impeachment. She sees herself as a Democratic socialist and champions progressive policies such as health care for all.

The squad: These are the women Trump wants to send back Fostering community At 45, Ayanna Pressley is the oldest member of the squad, with more than a decade of political experience. Following Trump's racist attacks, Pressley tweeted out that while Trump spewed his racism, she would fight for marginalized families and build communities. Like the other congresswomen, Pressley has been critical of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and family separation policy. Author: Kristin Zeier



The decision to ban the congresswomen is likely to deepen rifts among Democrats over Israel, which has historically maintained bi-partisan support in Congress. It comes at a time when support for Israel under Netanyahu's right-wing government is waning among Democrats, with one survey indicating that 56% of Democrats would support economic sanctions on Israel if it continued to expand settlements.

Tlaib responded to the ban by tweeting a photo of her grandmother, who lives in the West Bank. She wrote that barring her granddaughter from entering "is a sign of weakness" because "the truth of what is happening to Palestinians is frightening."

In a statement, Omar described the move to block her and Tlaib as "an insult to democratic values."

US Senator Elizabeth Warren, a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, wrote on Twitter that "Israel doesn't advance its case as a tolerant democracy or unwavering US ally by barring elected members of Congress from visiting because of their political views."

Trump has openly clashed with Omar, Tlaib and two other Democratic congresswomen of color over Israel and their "leftist" policies in a bid to rally the conservative Republican base ahead of the 2020 elections.

Israel's Channel 13 reported this week that Trump told advisers that Israel should prevent Omar and Tlaib from entering the country, a view that reportedly reached senior Israeli officials.

"It would show great weakness if Israel allowed Rep. Omar and Rep.Tlaib to visit. They hate Israel & all Jewish people, & there is nothing that can be said or done to change their minds," Trump wrote on Twitter shortly before Israel announced the lawmakers would be barred.

Israel often hosts congressional delegations. Earlier this month 41 Democrats and 31 Republicans attended a visit to the Jewish state-sponsored by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) lobby group. Even AIPAC supported allowing Omar and Tlaib to visit.

Last month, Omar introduced a resolution co-sponsored by Tlaib and civil rights icon John Lewis reaffirming boycotts as a constitutionally protected right to free speech. The resolution didn't specifically mention Israel or the Palestinians, citing instead past sanctions and boycotts against the Soviet Union, South Africa and Nazi Germany.

In July, the Democratic-led House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution against the BDS movement and reiterated support for a two-state solution the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

In response, 21 right-wing members of the Israeli Knesset sent a letter to four US lawmakers this week saying Congress made a "grave error" supporting a two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state.

"We would like to make our position clear that the establishment of a Palestinian state would be far more dangerous to Israel than BDS," the Israel lawmakers wrote.

cw,dr/aw (AP, dpa, AFP, Reuters)

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