Israel Makes Rashida Tlaib Promise Not to Promote BDS So She Can See Her Grandmother

A day after barring her and Rep. Ilhan Omar from entering the country, Israel said it would allow Rep. Rashida Tlaib to visit her 90-year-old grandmother in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The reversal came after Tlaib sent the Israeli government a letter promising not to promote the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement (BDS) during her stay.

The decision by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to bar Tlaib and Omar—supposedly over their support of the BDS movement—set off a firestorm on Thursday, with even staunch allies of Israel saying it had been a mistake. The move came after concerted pressure from President Trump, who publicly said that it would show “great weakness” by Israel to let the two congresswomen, who had been intending to visit several cities in Palestine, enter the country.

Palestinian observers tweeted after the announcement about Tlaib that the scene felt familiar.

Tlaib’s grandmother also spoke out before the announcement:

Tlaib is expected to arrive in the country on Sunday. The ban on Omar has not been lifted.

Update, 10:07 am ET: Tlaib announced that, due to the preconditions placed on her visit, she would not be making the journey after all. Read more here.