Rashida Tlaib decides not to visit grandmother after Israeli decision

“Apparently her hate for Israel overcomes her love for her grandmother,” said Interior Minister Arye Deri on Twitter on Friday evening after learning that US Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has decided to cancel her trip.

I approved her request as a gesture of goodwill on a humanitarian basis, but it was just a provocative request, aimed at bashing the State of Israel. Apparently her hate for Israel overcomes her love for her grandmother.@realDonaldTrump @RashidaTlaib

— אריה מכלוף דרעי (@ariyederi) August 16, 2019

Tlaib made her announcement Friday on Twitter. The tweet said, “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.”

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

Tlaib did not say what the restrictions that were going to be imposed on her would be but reports say that she was not allowed to promote BDS while in the country.

The Israeli government decided to block Tlaib and congresswoman Ilhan Omar from entering Israel. The two were supposed to be leading a formal delegation to Israel beginning Sunday. 

Tlaib and Omar have both shown support for the BDS movement and the Israeli government can deny entry to Israel to anyone who supports the movement by law.

After the decision, Tlaib wrote a formal request to be able to visit her grandmother, who lives in Beit Ur al-Fouqa. Her request was approved earlier on Friday by the Interior Ministry.