Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is barring visits by two U.S. Congresswomen, who are Muslims. Representatives Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan were scheduled to start their visit on Sunday. While the move may not be surprising to some considering both Congresswomen have been harsh critics of Israel, it’s President Trump’s involvement that’s raising eyebrows.
What happened? President Trump had urged Netanyahu to close the door to the Congresswomen via Twitter. But more on that in a minute. Netanyahu says the ban is all about the political positions promoted by Omar and Tlaib.
"As a free and vibrant democracy, Israel is open to critics and criticism, with one exception: Israeli law prohibits the entry into Israel of those who call for and work to impose boycotts on Israel," Netanyahu said in a statement. "Congresswomen Tlaib and Omar are leading activists in promoting the legislation of boycotts against Israel in the American Congress."
Source: CBS News