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April 5 (Reuters) - Israel has detained two British members of parliament and refused entry to the officials who were visiting as part of a parliamentary delegation, British Foreign Minister David Lammy said in a statement late on Saturday.

Sky News, citing a statement from the Israeli immigration ministry, says that the detained parliamentarians are Labour MPs Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed, who were rejected because they were suspected of plans to “document the activities of security forces and spread anti-Israel hatred.”

“I have made clear to my counterparts in the Israeli government that this is no way to treat British Parliamentarians, and we have been in contact with both MPs tonight to offer our support,” Lammy said.

  • NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io
    171·
    2 days ago

    I was using government in the broad sense (under which a Congressman would be a US government official) but fair enough.

    • ohulancutash@feddit.ukEnglish
      618·
      2 days ago

      Yeah, the US system doesn’t really have the government as Westminster does, it has appointed cabinet and agency officials instead.

      If these were government ministers instead of backbenchers on a private trip it would be taken a lot further than a “please don’t” message from the foreign secretary.

      It’s still a hell of a telling statement though.

      • NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io
        181·
        2 days ago

        Small correction (???): According to the article they were visiting as part of a parliamentarian delegation. Now I have no idea what that is, but it doesn’t sound like a private trip. Is it a private trip?

        • ohulancutash@feddit.ukEnglish
          218·
          2 days ago

          Not sure actually. One of the MPs is on the Foreign Affairs Committee, but the other is on no committees so it would be odd. But yeah, MPs can gang together on “fact-finding trips” without it being official business.

          • killeronthecorner@lemmy.worldEnglish
            10·
            1 day ago

            So a “parliamentarian delegation” isn’t official government business?

            The UK Foreign Office said the group was part of a parliamentary delegation - however Israel’s immigration authority contested this claim, saying the delegation had not been acknowledged by any Israeli official.

            The MPs said the trip had been organised with UK charities that had “over a decade of experience in taking parliamentary delegations”.

            We don’t need Israel’s acknowledgement or approval to label the WGs of the UK government. If there should have been coordination with their government on the constraints of their visit, that’s another matter. It doesn’t make the delegation any less a part of government business by their own definition.

              • killeronthecorner@lemmy.worldEnglish
                5·
                1 day ago

                The UK government has already released a statement saying that they expect Israel to host delegations like this. Ergo, they have indicated that it is their business. Actions are more indicative of the situation than wordplay.

                • ohulancutash@feddit.ukEnglish
                  25·
                  1 day ago

                  It’s the government’s responsibility to ensure the safety of MPs, but it seems they were there on parliamentary or personal business bit government business.

                  • killeronthecorner@lemmy.worldEnglish
                    5·
                    1 day ago

                    Again, wordplay belies intent. If they have to get involved in the negative treatment of a delegation like this, when a situation such as this arises, it is demonstrably their business.