House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy Kevin Owen McCarthyMcCarthy says there will be a peaceful transition if Biden wins GOP lawmakers distance themselves from Trump comments on transfer of power McCarthy claims protests in Louisville, other cities are 'planned, orchestrated events' MORE (R-Calif.) responded to the news Thursday that the Israeli government has decided to bar a pair of freshman Democrats from visiting the country by saying that the two members of "the Squad" should have joined a large congressional trip earlier this month.

In a tweet, McCarthy wrote that it's "unfortunate" that Reps. Rashida Tlaib Rashida Harbi TlaibTrump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' George Conway: 'Trump is like a practical joke that got out of hand' Pelosi endorses Kennedy in Massachusetts Senate primary challenge MORE (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar Ilhan OmarOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' Democrats scramble on COVID-19 relief amid division, Trump surprise MORE (D-Minn.) "declined to join this opportunity to hear from all sides."

A record 70+ members of Congress—Reps and Dems—came to Israel this month with open minds, open eyes, and open ears. It’s unfortunate that a few freshmen members declined to join this opportunity to hear from all sides. They should have come. — Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) August 15, 2019

The reaction echoes remarks the GOP leader made the night before on Fox News, when he said that "there’s a number of Democrats that still stand with Israel. But this new socialist Democrat group ... has a much different belief."

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"They should’ve come with their colleagues," McCarthy told Fox News's Bret Baier on Wednesday. "They should’ve come together where they can have a meeting with Israel, with the Palestinian Authority, with those who were running against [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin (Bibi) NetanyahuMORE] at the same time."

Omar and Tlaib, both of whom have criticized Israel in the past, had planned to make their own trip to both Israeli and Palestinian territories on Sunday, but, after urging from President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE, Nentanyahu's government said Thursday they would not be permitted to do so.

The decision was met with swift pushback from Democrats and even some Republicans, with Omar calling it "an insult to democratic values and a chilling response to a visit by government from an allied nation."

Tlaib, whose grandmother lives in the West Bank, can file a humanitarian request to visit them there, Netanyahu said. In a tweet, Tlaib called Israel's decision to bar the two lawmakers a "sign of weakness."

“The two-member congressional visitation plan shows that their intent is to hurt Israel and increase its unrest against it,” Netanyahu said Thursday.