Israel bars Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib from visiting

Israel is blocking two US Democratic lawmakers and prominent critics of Israel from visiting.

Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib were due to visit the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem next week.

Both have supported the boycott movement against Israel, but Israeli law allows supporters of the campaign to be banned from visiting.

President Trump earlier tweeted it would show “great weakness” if the pair were allowed entry.

A statement from the Israeli Interior Ministry confirming the ban said it was “inconceivable that those who wish to harm the state of Israel while visiting would be granted entry”.

But only last month Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer said the two Democrats would be permitted to visit “out of respect for the US Congress and the great alliance between Israel and America”.

President Trump, who has a close relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has frequently feuded with the lawmakers and in remarks widely condemned as racist, told them to “go back” to the countries that their families were from.

Ms Tlaib was born in Michigan, and Ms Omar is from Minnesota but was born in Somalia.