Minnesota U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and Michigan U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib will host a news conference Monday afternoon at the Minnesota State Capitol to address travel restrictions to the Palestinian territories and Israel and potential policy responses.
The conference comes just days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to block the two congresswomen from entering the country for an official visit.
Netanyahu previously approved Omar and Tlaib's visit, planned for this past weekend, then reversed that decision shortly after President Donald Trump tweeted on Thursday that "It would show great weakness if Israel allowed Rep. Omar and Rep. Tlaib to visit."
Netanyahu then issued a statement calling Omar and Tlaib "leading activists in promoting the legislation of boycotts against Israel in the American Congress."
In a statement, Omar called Netanyahu's decision an "affront."
Tlaib, who is the child of Palestinian immigrants, wrote to Israeli officials with a request to visit relatives on the West Bank, agreeing not to promote boycotts against Israel during her stay.
Her request was granted on humanitarian grounds, but she tweeted on Friday that the conditions of the visit were "against everything I believe in" and that she would not make the trip.
Omar and Tlaib are the first two Muslim women in Congress.
Both support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which aims to put economic pressure on Israel to improve its treatment of Palestinians.
The news conference is set for 3 p.m. at the Capitol in St. Paul. The event will include three other Minnesota residents who have been affected by travel restrictions.
Mara Klecker • 612-673-4440
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