MPs on West Bank visit 'refused entry' to Israel

TWO Labour MPs travelling to the West Bank as part of a UK parliamentary delegation said they were denied entry to Israel.

- JESSICA COATES

Peter Prinsley and Simon Opher said they were travelling as part of a visit organised by the Council for Arab-British Understanding to observe medical and humanitarian work carried out by various organisations, including Medical Aid for Palestinians.

"It is deeply regrettable that Israeli authorities prevented them from seeing firsthand the grave challenges facing medical facilities in the region and from hearing the British government's assessment of the situation on the ground," they said in a joint statement.

The pair were travelling as part of a delegation which was also due to meet British diplomats in Jerusalem, as well as Palestinian and Israeli human rights organisations.

Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer said the decision to deny entry to the two MPs was "unacceptable".