‘Bigoted, Short Sighted and Cruel': Pressley Slams Israel for Barring Entry to Tlaib, Omar

Democratic Massachusetts Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley slammed Israel on Thursday for saying it will bar fellow "Squad" members Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar from entering the country over their support for a Palestinian-led boycott movement.

"I'm calling this like I see it: bigoted, short sighted and cruel," Pressley said on Twitter. "Any leader committed to advancing democracy would welcome with open arms two democratically elected United States Congresswomen. And every single member of Congress should be calling this out."

She added that she is "blessed" to serve alongside Tlaib and Omar. "We won't stand for this," she said.

Israel's decision was announced shortly after President Donald Trump tweeted that it would "show great weakness" to allow Tlaib and Omar in.

The move appeared to be unprecedented, and marked a deep foray by Israel into America's bitterly polarized politics. It is also a sharp escalation of Israel's campaign against the international boycott movement.

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri issued a statement saying that after consultations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials he decided not to allow Tlaib and Omar to enter because of "their boycott activities against Israel."

The two newly-elected Muslim members of Congress are outspoken critics of Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. Tlaib's family immigrated to the United States from the West Bank. Deri said Israel would consider any request from Tlaib to visit relatives on humanitarian grounds.

Tlaib and Omar are members of the four-person group of progressive Democratic congressmen known as "The Squad." Pressley and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York are the other two members. All four have been frequent targets of Trump, who drew criticism for tweeting in July that they should "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested [countries] from which they came."

Shortly before the decision was announced, Trump had tweeted that "it would show great weakness" if Israel allowed Tlaib and Omar to visit. "They hate Israel & all Jewish people, & there is nothing that can be said or done to change their minds." He went on to call the two congresswomen "a disgrace."

Israel has sought to combat the BDS movement, which advocates boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israeli businesses, universities and cultural institutions. The country passed a law permitting a ban on entry to any activist who "knowingly issues a call for boycotting Israel."

Last month, Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer had said Israel would not deny entry to any member of Congress.

The interior minister's statement said "the state of Israel respects the American Congress, in the framework of the close alliance between the two countries, but it's unacceptable to allow the entrance to the country of those who wish to harm the state of Israel, especially during their visit."

Supporters of the boycott movement say it is a non-violent way to protest Israeli policies and call for Palestinian rights. Critics say the movement aims to delegitimize Israel and ultimately erase it from the map, replacing it with a binational state.

Israel often hosts delegations of U.S. representatives and senators, who usually meet with senior Israeli officials as well as Palestinian officials in the occupied West Bank.

MIFTAH, the Palestinian organization that was set to host Tlaib and Omar in the West Bank, issued a statement saying that Israel's decision was "an affront to the American people and their representatives" and "an assault on the Palestinian people's right to reach out to decision-makers and other actors from around the world."

It was not immediately clear if the two congresswomen had planned on meeting with Israeli officials during their visit. Their spokespeople did not immediately respond to a request for comment.