https://arab.news/wsbba
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting says Israel’s treatment of Simon Opher and Peter Prinsley ‘no longer surprising’
- The politicians, who are both doctors, were refused entry while traveling with a delegation to the occupied West Bank
LONDON: A senior UK government minister has criticized the “shameful” treatment of two British MPs after they were blocked from entering the occupied West Bank.
Simon Opher and Peter Prinsley, who are both doctors, were part of a delegation traveling to the territory to witness medical and humanitarian work. They were stopped by Israeli authorities on Monday as they tried to enter from Jordan.
“I find the treatment of two highly respected clinicians and members of parliament by the Israeli government shameful, but no longer surprising,” said Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
His comments come as the UK government faces increased pressure to take tougher action against Israel.
Opher, who along with Prinsley is a member of the ruling Labour Party, has called for the government to recognize a Palestinian state and sanction senior Israeli officials.
Israel’s decision to block the pair from entering the country was also condemned by UK Minister for the Middle East and North Africa Hamish Falconer as “unacceptable.”
“I have been clear with the Israeli authorities that this is no way to treat British parliamentarians,” he said.
Alistair Carmichael, chair of the Council for Arab-British Understanding which organized the delegation, said the Israeli action was “deeply troubling.”
“It is yet a further example of behavior that one should not expect from a country the (UK) government sees as an ally,” he said.
CAABU said the official reason given by Israel for blocking the two MPs was “public security or public safety or public order considerations.”
The MPs were due to meet UK diplomats in Jerusalem and Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations, including Medical Aid for Palestinians
Opher said he had become especially concerned about how the Gaza conflict has affected healthcare in both Gaza and the West Bank.
“I obviously wanted to see the situation for myself, better understand the issues and see what, if anything, could be done to help,” he said.
He accused Israel of fighting a “financial war” on the West Bank by withholding payments to the Palestinian Authority. He also said he feared that, as in Gaza, Israel would target healthcare workers.
Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel in 2023, the Israeli military has launched widespread operations in the West Bank, killing hundreds of Palestinians.
The blocking of the MPs is the second time this year Israel has stopped members of a British parliamentary delegation from visiting the territory, with Labour MPs Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed denied entry in April.