On April 6, 2025, Israel denied entry to two British Labour Party MPs, Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang, sparking a diplomatic row and igniting debate across the UK political spectrum. The decision, made by Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority, was based on suspicions that the MPs intended to “document the activities of security forces and spread anti-Israel hatred.” This incident has drawn sharp criticism from UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who called it “unacceptable” and “deeply concerning,” while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch defended Israel’s right to control its borders. To fully understand this event, it’s worth examining the key factors behind Israel’s decision, including the MPs’ unofficial status, their history of anti-Israel rhetoric, Israel’s sovereign border rights, and the irony of the UK’s criticism given its own border management struggles.
Not an Official Parliamentary Trip
First and foremost, the MPs were not travelling as part of an official parliamentary delegation. Despite their claims of being on a mission to “visit humanitarian aid projects and communities in the West Bank” alongside UK charity partners, Israel’s Interior Ministry found no evidence that any Israeli authority had approved or been notified of such a delegation. The Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu) and Medical Aid for Palestinians (Map), organisations with a history of facilitating such trips, confirmed their involvement, but this did not equate to official sanction from either the UK or Israeli governments. During questioning at Ben-Gurion Airport, the MPs and their aides reportedly misrepresented their visit as an official parliamentary endeavour, a claim that unravelled under scrutiny. This lack of transparency and official status likely raised red flags for Israeli authorities, who saw it as a pretext for ulterior motives.
A Track Record of Anti-Israel Rhetoric
The MPs in question, Abtisam Mohamed (Sheffield Central) and Yuan Yang (Earley and Woodley), both elected in 2024, have a well-documented history of vocal criticism against Israel. Mohamed, the first British Yemeni MP, has accused Israel of “ethnic cleansing” and “pursuing the destruction of Gaza” in parliamentary speeches, notably on April 2, 2025. She has also called for sanctions against Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for their support of resettlement in northern Gaza, and in February 2025, she spearheaded a cross-party letter signed by 61 MPs and lords advocating a ban on goods from Israeli settlements.
Yang, similarly, has supported sanctions against the same ministers and criticised Israel’s actions in the ongoing conflict with Hamas. Both MPs have endorsed boycotts of Israel and framed their positions as defence of international humanitarian law, but Israel views their rhetoric as inflammatory and biased, accusing them of intending to “spread hate speech” and provoke anti-Israel sentiment during their visit. Given their public statements, Israel likely perceived their trip as a platform to further an anti-Israel agenda rather than a genuine humanitarian fact-finding mission.
Israel’s Sovereign Right to Refuse Entry
At the heart of this decision lies a fundamental principle: Israel, like any sovereign nation, has the legal right to control its borders and refuse entry to individuals it deems a threat to its security or interests. This is not unique to Israel—countries worldwide, including the UK, reserve the right to deny entry based on national laws and discretion. Israel’s 1952 Entry into Israel Law allows the Interior Minister to bar individuals suspected of intending to harm the state, a provision reinforced by a 2017 amendment banning supporters of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Mohamed and Yang’s vocal support for boycotts and sanctions aligns with this criterion, providing legal grounding for their exclusion. The Israeli embassy in the UK further noted that the MPs had “accused Israel of false claims” and “supported campaigns aimed at boycotting the state,” justifying the decision as a protective measure during a time of heightened conflict, with Israel facing threats on multiple fronts following the resumption of its offensive in Gaza.
The UK’s Hypocrisy in Criticising Israel
The UK’s swift condemnation of Israel’s actions, led by Foreign Secretary David Lammy, rings hollow when viewed against its own border management failures. The UK has struggled to secure its borders, with record numbers of illegal Channel crossings—over 45,000 in 2022 alone—and a backlog of asylum claims exposing systemic weaknesses. Critics, including some X users, have pointed out the irony of a nation unable to stem its own influx of undocumented migrants lecturing Israel, a country under constant security pressure, on border control. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch seized on this point, arguing that “every country should be able to control its borders” and questioning why Labour MPs expect unrestricted access abroad while the UK fails to enforce its own sovereignty. This double standard undermines the UK’s moral authority to criticise Israel, especially when the latter’s decision aligns with its legal framework and security imperatives.
Additional Context: Timing and Broader Implications
The timing of the MPs’ attempted visit—April 2025—adds another layer of relevance. Israel is currently engaged in a multi-front conflict, with its war against Hamas in Gaza intensifying after a brief truce ended in March. The Gaza health ministry reports over 50,000 deaths since October 2023, while the West Bank has seen escalated military operations, including airstrikes killing 261 Palestinians since the conflict began. Amid this tension, Israel is particularly sensitive to external actors perceived as amplifying anti-Israel narratives. The MPs’ stated intent to “witness first-hand the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory” could be interpreted as an attempt to gather material for further criticism, especially given their past accusations of Israeli war crimes. Moreover, their deportation follows a precedent: Israel has previously barred UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and European Parliament members for similar reasons, signalling a broader policy of restricting entry to outspoken critics.
The Political Fallout in the UK
The incident has also exposed divisions within the UK. Lammy’s rebuke of Israel and his accusation that Badenoch was “cheerleading” another country’s actions reflect Labour’s broader push for a ceasefire and hostage negotiations in Gaza. Badenoch’s defence of Israel, meanwhile, aligns with a Conservative stance prioritising allied nations’ sovereignty and highlighting Labour’s perceived hypocrisy. The MPs themselves framed the ban as an attack on parliamentary freedom, arguing that they should “feel free to speak truthfully in the House of Commons without fear of being targeted.” Yet, this plea overlooks the reality that free speech does not guarantee unrestricted access to foreign soil—especially when that speech has consistently demonised the host nation.
Conclusion
Israel’s decision to ban Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang from entering was not an arbitrary act but a calculated response rooted in their unofficial travel status, their history of anti-Israel propaganda, and Israel’s sovereign right to protect its borders. The UK’s indignation, while politically expedient, smacks of hypocrisy given its own border vulnerabilities. Far from being an “unprecedented step,” as the MPs claimed, this action fits a pattern of Israel guarding against perceived threats during a time of war. Whether one agrees with Israel’s policies or not, its right to determine who enters its territory is indisputable—a principle the UK might do well to emulate rather than criticise.
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