Israeli Interior Minister, Aryeh Deri, has said on Friday that he would approve a humanitarian request from Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Minn) to visit her 90-year-old grandmother living in the West Bank a day after Israel announced it was banning the Congresswoman from entering the country for a four day visit, according to a Washington Post report.
“I would like to request admittance to Israel in order to visit my relatives, and specifically my grandmother who is in her 90s and lives in Beit Ur al-Fouqa,” Tlaib wrote in a letter to the Israeli minister. “This would be my last opportunity to see her. I will respect any restrictions and will not promote boycotts against Israel during my visit.”
A statement from Deri’s office said he would approve her request. He also expressed hope she would stand by her commitment and that “the visit would indeed be for humanitarian purposes only.”
Tlaib is expected to arrive in Israel next week.
On Thursday, Israel said it would not allow Tlaib and Omar to enter the country this coming Sunday for a trip focused mainly on viewing the impact of recent U.S. policies and aid cuts on the Palestinians.
Israel’s decision immediately drew widespread criticism from Democratic lawmakers and American-Jewish organizations, including the staunchly pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, with some saying it set a new precedent for U.S.-Israel relations.
