Omar, Tlaib to give press conference on entry ban to Israel

ST. PAUL, Minnesota — Democratic US representatives Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan plan to host a news conference this afternoon on travel restrictions to Israel and the West Bank, after they were denied entry into Israel last week.

After US President Donald Trump warned such a visit would be a sign of “great weakness” on Israel’s part, the country denied entry to the two Muslim representatives over their support for the Palestinian-led boycott movement. Tlaib and Omar, who had planned to visit Jerusalem and the Israeli-controlled West Bank on a tour organized by a Palestinian group, are outspoken critics of Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians and support the Palestinian-led international movement boycotting Israel.

Before Israel’s decision, Trump tweeted it would be a “show of weakness” to allow the two representatives in. Israel controls entry and exit to the West Bank, which it captured in the 1967 Six Day War along with East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip — territories the Palestinians want for a future state.

— AP