Rashida Tlaib scraps West Bank trip despite Israel U-turn

Israel barred Tlaib and another Democrat, Ilhan Omar, from visiting Jerusalem and the West Bank over their support for the boycott movement following an unprecedented appeal from President Donald Trump to deny them entry.

Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib said on Friday she would not visit her grandmother in the occupied West Bank, despite being granted an Israeli permit on humanitarian grounds, saying Israel’s “oppressive” conditions aimed to humiliate her.

US lawmaker Rashida Tlaib (AP image)

Israel barred Tlaib and another Democrat, Ilhan Omar, from visiting Jerusalem and the West Bank over their support for the boycott movement following an unprecedented appeal from President Donald Trump to deny them entry.

Israel had said Tlaib could visit relatives in the West Bank on humanitarian grounds. But then the interior ministry released a letter purportedly signed by Tlaib in which she promised not to advocate boycotts during her visit. That appears to have led to her decision to cancel the visit.

“Visiting my grandmother under these oppressive conditions meant to humiliate me would break my grandmother’s heart,” she said in a statement. “Silencing me with treatment to make me feel less-than is not what she wants for me — it would kill a piece of me that always stands up against racism and injustice.” Tlaib and Omar had planned to visit Jerusalem and the West Bank next week.