Madam Deputy Speaker, over the weekend, two Members of this House – the Member for Earley and Woodley and the Member for Sheffield Central – on a parliamentary delegation to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories were detained and refused entry by the authorities.
They had both been granted entry clearance in advance of travelling to Israel.
On arrival in Tel Aviv at 2.30pm local time, the two Hon Members were held in immigration for six hours. When I spoke to them at 8.30pm, they believed they were to be detained overnight without their mobile phones.
While the situation was ongoing on Saturday night, the Foreign Secretary spoke to his counterpart, the Israeli Foreign Minister and I spoke with the Deputy Foreign Minister and the Israeli Ambassador.
Following that intervention, both were released from detention but their entry was still denied.
Foreign Office officials supported the two MPs and their staff at the airport as soon as they were alerted to the situation.
After a public statement at 10pm from the Israeli Immigration Authority, they were then flown back in the early hours of Sunday morning.
It is my understanding that this is first time a British MP has been barred from entering Israel.
That decision appears to have been taken on the basis of the comments made in this Chamber.
As the Foreign Secretary has made clear, and as I’m sure almost every member of this House will agree, their treatment is unacceptable and it is deeply concerning.
It is no way to treat democratically elected representatives of a close partner nation. We have made this clear at the highest levels in Israel.
I pay tribute to the contributions that both members have made to this place since they were elected.
I know they both believe in a two-state solution. They have our support and solidarity.
The Foreign Secretary spoke to both MPs while they were in Israel and I met with them earlier today. They have behaved with great dignity.
They were part of a delegation visiting humanitarian projects amid the appalling situation in Gaza and a dangerous and deteriorating situation in the Occupied West Bank.
They were going to see for themselves what is taking place in the Occupied Territories and to meet those directly affected by the shocking rise in settler violence.
Such visits are commonplace for MPs from across this House and from all parties.
Indeed, I’m told that more than 161 Members of Parliament have conducted such visits.
They enrich the knowledge and experience of us as legislators and representatives. They create connections with countries, political counterparts and civil society.
Indeed, I note that both organisations – Medical Aid for Palestinians and Council on Arab British Understanding – have supported visits involving Members from all the main political parties – including the benches opposite.
All Members should therefore be worried by what this decision means and the precedent it sets.
So our message to the Israeli government is not just that this is wrong, but that it is counterproductive.
We have warned them that actions like this will only damage the image of the Israeli government in the eyes of Honourable Members across the House.
Mr Speaker, amid this unnecessary and unwelcome decision, the bloodshed continues in Gaza.
The hostages are still held by Hamas. Essential aid is still blocked by Israel. And yet more innocent Palestinians are suffering.
The killing of 15 paramedics and rescue workers in Rafah on March the 23rd was one of the deadliest attacks on humanitarian staff since the war began.
Madam Deputy Speaker, these deaths are an outrage and we must see this incident investigated transparently and those responsible held to account. Our thoughts remain with the victims and their families.
We will not go quiet in our calls for the violence to stop and in our demands for humanitarian workers and civilians to be protected. We urge all parties to return to ceasefire negotiations.
It is clear that this conflict cannot be won by bombs and bullets, but by diplomacy. A ceasefire is the only way we will bring the conflict to an end and return to negotiations for a lasting peace in the region.
This is the only way we can end the needless loss of humanitarian workers striving to alleviate suffering.
And it is the only pathway towards a two-state solution that we all want to see, where Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and security. I know Honourable Members across this House will continue to work towards that goal.
I commend this statement to the House.
