Foreign Secretary David Lammy has criticised Israeli authorities for denying two Labour MPs entry to the country and detaining them.
He described the move as “unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning”, adding that the Foreign Office had been in touch with both MPs to offer support.
Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang were refused entry because they intended to “spread hate speech” against Israel, the Israeli population and immigration authority said in a statement.
Lammy said: “I have made clear to my counterparts in the Israeli government that this is no way to treat British Parliamentarians.”
Yang, the MP for Earley and Woodley, and Mohamed, the MP for Sheffield Central, flew to the country from London Luton Airport with two aides on Saturday afternoon.
The Israeli immigration authority said Interior Minister Moshe Arbel had denied entry to all four passengers after they were questioned. It also accused them of travelling to “document the security forces”.
The UK Foreign Office said the group was part of a parliamentary delegation.
Israel’s immigration authority contested this claim, saying the delegation had not been acknowledged by any Israeli official.
A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry said the MPs had left the country as of 06:00 local time (04:00 BST) on Sunday.
Lammy said in a statement: “The UK government’s focus remains securing a return to the ceasefire and negotiations to stop the bloodshed, free the hostages and end the conflict in Gaza.”
