Pelosi says entry denial beneath Israel’s dignity

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is slamming Israel’s decision to deny admission to two Muslim-American congresswomen, calling the snub “beneath the dignity of the great State of Israel.”

The California Democrat, long a supporter of Israel, also said US President Donald Trump’s statements attacking liberal Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar and encouraging Israel to block their planned visit is “a sign of ignorance and disrespect, and beneath the dignity of the Office of the President.”

Tlaib, of Michigan, and Minnesota Democrat Omar are critics of Israel and supporters of boycotts of the Jewish state, and many Republicans say Omar’s past rhetoric is anti-Semitic.

Pelosi notes that Israel’s ambassador to the US, Ron Dermer, recently said that Israel would not deny any members of Congress from entering the country. She calls the reversal “sad” and “deeply disappointing.”

— AP