UPDATE: Israel's Interior Minister Aryeh Deri says it's clear this was all a well orchestrated stunt by Rep. Tlaib.
From the Israeli interior minister: “I authorized this humanitarian trip, but it turns out that it was a provocation to embarrass Israel. Her hatred for Israel overcomes her love for her grandmother.” https://t.co/gNvQrrNRVN
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) August 16, 2019
ORIGINAL POST
Israel reversed its decision on Friday and will allow Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) to enter the country to visit her grandmother. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), however, is still banned.
In her humanitarian request, Tlaib had urged Interior Minister Aryeh Deri to allow her entry so she could visit her 90-year-old grandmother because it may be her "last opportunity" to see her.
Yet, on Friday, after the government granted her request, Tlaib argued it's just too "humiliating" now to take the trip.
When I won, it gave the Palestinian people hope that someone will finally speak the truth about the inhumane conditions. I can't allow the State of Israel to take away that light by humiliating me & use my love for my sity to bow down to their oppressive & racist policies. https://t.co/OYIwExV0ga
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) August 16, 2019
Silencing me & treating me like a criminal is not what she wants for me. It would kill a piece of me. I have decided that visiting my grandmother under these oppressive conditions stands against everything I believe in--fighting against racism, oppression & injustice. https://t.co/z5t5j3qk4H
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) August 16, 2019
Israel decided to ban Tlaib and Omar from the country because of their prominent support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which encourages the boycott of Israeli goods and services. It has been a longstanding policy of Israel to bar individuals who support the campaign from the country, which the congresswomen no doubt knew. For an explainer on how this seems to have been a "malicious set up" from the beginning, read Katie's new column.
In sum:
So this wasn’t really about your grandmother, but you were happy to use her as a political pawn. Got it. https://t.co/51BjswOVDd
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) August 16, 2019